Buxton Makes History: Cycle and Bobblehead on Unforgettable Day for Twins

The Minnesota Twins’ center fielder, Byron Buxton, admitted to feeling a little extra pressure before Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was his bobblehead day, which means the first 10,000 fans to enter Target Field would receive a replica of Buxton celebrating his “Buck Truck” home run.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous before the game started, just knowing it was bobblehead day. Obviously, you want to go out and do something good.
Byron Buxton

Buxton did more than something good. He became the first player to hit for the cycle at Target Field since the stadium opened in 2010, helping propel the Twins to a 12-4 victory over the Pirates. It was the twelfth cycle in Twins history and the first since Jorge Polanco achieved one in 2019. Buxton had three hits in three innings: a single in the first, a triple in the second (for six runs), and a double in the third. After hitting another single in the fifth, he had one more opportunity in the bottom of the seventh.

Buxton, who will participate in next week’s Home Run Derby, hit a solo home run of 427 feet against Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney with two outs in the seventh to make the score 11-3 and complete the cycle. That made the Target Field crowd stand up, with many fans celebrating with Buxton’s bobbleheads.

With his team maintaining a comfortable lead, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli nearly took Buxton out of the game before his final at-bat, he admitted afterward. Fortunately for Baldelli, and Buxton, some coaches reminded the skipper what was at stake.

I was 4 for 4 at that point. But with everything that happens during a game, sometimes I might be the one to miss a hitting streak or something that’s going on with a particular player. But once I was reminded, I was going to stay in the game. I was going to get another at-bat, regardless of the score, and give him the opportunity to do something great.
Rocco Baldelli

The home run was Buxton’s 21st of the season, tied for fifth in the American League. With two RBIs on Saturday, Buxton now has 55 RBIs on the season, just one shy of his personal record. He has an OPS of .921 and is 17 for 17 in stolen bases.

It’s one of the best first halves I’ve witnessed.
Rocco Baldelli

Buxton was replaced in center field after the seventh inning, but not before receiving a standing ovation from Twins fans. He also received a Gatorade bath courtesy of teammate Ty France, who was heading to the clubhouse before realizing that no one had sprayed Buxton after the game.