Birdland Playback: Cedric Mullins Reaches 30/30

During Spring Training, 30 stolen bases would have seemed like an attainable goal for Cedric Mullins. The speedy center fielder had racked up 110 steals in 494 career Minor League games and had stolen at least 30 bases in a season twice in his Minor League career, with 30 steals for Delmarva in 2016 and 33 steals between Norfolk and Bowie in 2019. If he could become a mainstay in the lineup and get on base at a decent clip, 30 steals would be a milestone well within his reach.

30 home runs, on the other hand, seemed like a lofty total for the 5-foot-8 Mullins, whose single-season Minor League career high was 14 home runs with the Shorebirds in 2017. He entered the 2021 season with just seven home runs in 115 career Major League games and was averaging one home run in roughly every 53 at-bats.

After his struggles in 2019 led to him being sent back to the Double-A Baysox, Mullins shocked the baseball world in 2021 with one of the greatest breakout performances in recent memory. He abandoned switch-hitting prior to the season before going on a tear which led to him making the start at center field in the All-Star Game, winning a Silver Slugger Award, and being named the unanimous winner of the Most Valuable Oriole Award.

But perhaps his most impressive achievement was when he became the first player in franchise history – and only player in the Majors this year – with a 30/30 season. In the fourth installment of Birdland Playback, Mullins recalls the moment when he reached the historic milestone.

Mullins was already enjoying one of the best statistical seasons in franchise history when it appeared that a 30/30 season might be within reach. He became the seventh player in Orioles history to record a 20/20 season when he homered to lead off the game on August 8 and joined Don Baylor (1975) and Reggie Jackson (1976) as the only Orioles in the 25/25 club with his 25th long ball on September 5.

“It’s crazy,” he said after hitting his 25th home run to go along with 26 stolen bases. “Just to be told it’s been a solid minute since someone has come around and put together a 25/25 season. I’m just out there putting my all every single day and to have the results show is a pretty amazing feeling.”

Mullins continued his march towards history when he hit his 29th home run of the campaign in game two of a doubleheader against the Blue Jays on September 11. He then stole his 29th and 30th bases of the year on September 18 at Fenway Park, leaving him a home run shy of 30/30 with 14 games remaining. But after hitting his 29th home run on September 11, Mullins went on a 11-game homerless drought.

The season was nearing its end and the pressure was mounting. Had he come all this way to just finish one home run short of Orioles history?

But Mullins was no stranger to pressure or adversity. After his struggles in 2019, he went back to square one, humbled and determined to become the best baseball player he could be. With a 30/30 season on the line, he took the same approach that had helped him blossom into one of the game’s brightest young stars.

“Leading up to that achievement, there was a lot of built-in pressure behind it,” he said. “The games were ticking down. It came down to me trying to go back to being myself instead of trying to go for the home run.”

On September 24, he stepped into the batter’s box at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in the second inning with two on and two out against Texas’ Spencer Howard. He fouled off the first pitch before taking a fastball high to even the count at 1-1. On the next delivery, Mullins rocketed the ball to center field, over the glove of the leaping Leody Taveras. As the ball landed, Mullins pumped his fist while rounding first base, having etched his name in the record books. The only player in franchise history – 68 seasons since 1954 – with a 30/30 season.

“When it finally went over the fence, everyone saw the fist pump. I think everyone could tell that that was a huge relief for me.”

The next inning, Mullins’ teammates let him take the field first. Just as he now stood alone in Orioles history, he stood alone in center field as the crowd erupted in a standing ovation.

“I had a gut feeling that that was a moment for me to go out there and enjoy the moment. To have that feeling again, to be out in center by myself, acknowledging the fans and showing my appreciation to them as well, it was awesome.”