ATLANTA — Trea Turner has expressed his desire to be the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit for the cycle four times. On Friday night, he came close to achieving this milestone.
Turner needed a triple to join the exclusive four-cycle club as he stepped up to bat in the ninth inning. The Phillies were leading the Braves 13-0, and Atlanta had brought in outfielder Luke Williams to pitch.
Turner has previously acknowledged that he thinks about completing the cycle when he’s just one hit away. The last time this happened was on May 19, when he missed a homerun at Coors Field and ended up stranded on deck.
On Friday, Turner had already hit a double in the first inning, a homerun in the second, and a single in the fourth. As he prepared for his next at-bat, Turner said, “A lot of things were going through my head. I was trying to hit a line drive down the right-field line on the first two pitches.”
He faced a 54.4 mph eephus pitch for a called strike and then swung at a 61.3 mph pitch that went foul down the right-field line. “Once I got to two strikes I was like, ‘All right, I just don’t want to strike out,'” Turner explained.
The third pitch was slower at 52.4 mph but inside off the plate. Turner thought he got jammed as he sent a high fly ball towards left field and began jogging initially. However, seeing left fielder Alex Verdugo moving back toward the wall made him reconsider.
“I saw Verdugo running and I was like, ‘Man, if this hits off the wall and I’m just at first base, I’m going to be really pissed at myself,'” Turner recalled. He started sprinting but didn’t watch as it cleared over Verdugo’s leaping attempt at the fence.
The ball narrowly went over for Turner’s second home run of the night alongside his single and double. Thus, his chance for a fourth cycle remained elusive.
While rounding bases after touching home plate with an idea never considered before that moment crossed Turner’s mind: “After I touched home plate — and this thought never crossed my mind before that,” said Turner,” but you know—the thought of missing—missing plate—I think that’d be—a triple.”
Indeed it would have been if intentional—leaving him alone with four cycles—but ultimately too late upon realization afterward: “It would have been probably most selfish thing do history baseball,” laughed Turner.” But—you know—a lot thoughts going through my head right there.”
