Minnesota Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton of Baxley, Georgia hit for the cycle on Saturday. He accomplished the feat in a 12-4 Twins win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Buxton became the first player ever to hit for the cycle in a Major League Baseball game at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is the second player this season to accomplish the feat. The first player to hit for the cycle was Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly of Chicago, Illinois in an 18-3 Diamondbacks win over the Athletics on March 31.
Inside look at Buxton’s cycle
Buxton had five hits in five at bats. He had two singles, one double, one triple and one home run while beginning the baseball game from the leadoff position in the Twins batting order. Buxton scored three runs and had two runs batted in.
In Buxton’s first at bat in the bottom of the first inning, he had a leadoff infield single to shortstop. Then in his second at bat, Buxton had a one-out line drive triple to centerfield in the bottom of the second inning, and would later score on a Willie Castro single to put the Twins up 4-0. In the bottom of the third inning, Buxton hit a ground rule double with nobody out that scored Ty France and put the Twins up 7-0. Buxton’s second single came in the bottom of the fifth inning with one out, and then hit for the cycle in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two out home run and put the Twins up 11-3.
Buxton’s 2025 MLB season
At the All-Star break, Buxton is an American League All-Star for the second time in his career. He was also an All-Star in 2022 while with the Twins. In 78 games, 298 at bats and 333 plate appearances, Buxton scored 64 runs, and had 865 hits, 14 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs, 56 runs batted in, 17 stolen bases, 27 walks, 171 total bases, four sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .351, and a slugging percentage of .574. Buxton leads the Twins in runs scored, hits, triples, home runs, runs batted in, stolen bases, total bases, sacrifice flies, and slugging percentage.
Buxton is one of two Twins selected to represent the Twins in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. The other is starting pitcher Joe Ryan of San Francisco, California. Ryan is at 9-4 with an earned run average of 2.72 in 2025.
