Adrian Beltre becomes 1st player since the ‘30s to have 3 career cycles

Adrian Beltre was running full speed ahead on his way to third when he suddenly started spinning his arms to stop his momentum and return to second.

After Texas’ 12-9 victory over Houston on Monday night, the Rangers third baseman was asked if that move in the second inning had anything to do with preserving the chance for a cycle, since he had already hit a triple in the first.

Beltre paused for a minute before answering: “Maybe.”

After hitting a single in the third inning, Beltre didn’t even try to hide what he wanted to do during his next at-bat in the fifth.

“Not going to lie, I was looking for a home run,” said Beltre, who sent the very first pitch he saw into the left-field stands.

In doing so, the former Dodgers star became the first player since Babe Herman in the 1930s to hit for three career cycles and only the fourth all time. Beltre’s first was as a member of the Seattle Mariners in 2008 and the second was with the Rangers in 2012.

Oddly enough, all three of Beltre’s cycles occured at the Rangers’ home stadium in Arlington, Texas.