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Carson Kelly becomes first Cubs player to hit for cycle since 1993
The Chicago Cubs welcomed Sutter Health Park to MLB with an onslaught of offence on Monday night. But no Cub had a bigger game than catcher Carson Kelly.
The Chicago Cubs welcomed Sutter Health Park to MLB with an onslaught of offence against the Athletics on Monday night. But no Cub had a bigger game than catcher Carson Kelly.
With four hits in four at-bats, Kelly hit for the cycle, becoming the first player in Cubs history to achieve the feat since Mark Grace did so in 1993 and the first to do it on the road since 1966.
It is the 12th cycle in franchise history.
Kelly wrote his name in the record books with a solo homer in the fourth inning, a two-RBI single in the fifth and a double in the sixth before capping it off with a triple off of reliever T.J. McFarland in the eighth.
“You just go up and try to have a competitive at-bat, you know? Stay in the moment,” Kelly said post-game on the Cubs broadcast. “I hit it, and I was like, ‘Man, I got that pretty good.’ And then in the back of my mind, I’m like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to get to three on this.’
“I’m not the fastest guy out there, so a lot needed to happen for that, but I’m grateful for it.”
The 30-year-old might be one of the most unlikely to complete a cycle in baseball history, as Kelly entered Monday with a career .224 average and .680 OPS. But that’s the beauty of the sport, that on any given night, a catcher hitting ninth can make history.
Kelly finished the game 4-for-4 with each leg of the cycle, two walks and five RBIs as the Cubs gave the Athletics a rude welcome to Sacramento with an 18-3 win.
“I never thought I would ever get one,” Kelly said. “So it’s pretty cool, it’s pretty special. Very raw emotions to just experience it. It hasn’t settled in yet, so I’m just happy we got the W.”
Before Monday’s contest, Kelly had one hit in seven plate appearances over two games.
The longtime Arizona Diamondbacks backstop joined the Cubs as a free agent on a two-year, $11.5 million contract this off-season.
