B.J. Upton became the first Tampa Bay Rays player to hit for the cycle, leaving the San Diego Padres as the only Major League team void of both a cycle and a no-no.
Upton accomplished the rare feat Friday night in Tampa during the Rays’ 13-4 victory over the New York Yankees, so now the San Diego Padres and the Florida Marlins are the only two MLB franchises without a player hitting for the cycle.
The cycle is nearly as rare a feat as a no-hitter, with 291 during baseball history as opposed to 263 no-hitters. (We go into greater detail on our No-hitter vs. hit for cycle page.)
The four teams without a no-hitter are the Padres, the Rays, the Colorado Rockies and … of course … the New York Mets.
Four Mets players have hit for the cycle during their 48-year history – Jim Hickman, Tommie Agee, Mike Phillips, Keith Hernandez, Kevin McReynolds, Alex Ochoa, John Olerud, Eric Valent and Jose Reyes.
