Weston Wilson completed a feat that you don’t see every day in baseball: the Philadelphia Phillies outfielder hit for the cycle Thursday night against the Washington Nationals.
The Phillies have been struggling since the series before the All-Star break. The top team in the National League hopes their last two games are a sign of good things to come. The Phillies came back from a 3-0 deficit in the first inning against the Miami Marlins on Aug. 14 thanks to an offensive explosion and bullpen dominance. Rob Thomson’s team followed that win up with a 13-3 win against the Nationals to open up a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies’ offense exploded yet again with 17 hits and 13 runs, and Zack Wheeler pitched a gem across six innings. However, Wilson stole the show. Wilson went 4-for-5 en route to his first career cycle. The 29-year-old tripled and singled in the fourth inning to get his historic night started. He homered in the seventh inning and doubled on a line drive to right field in the eighth inning that the right fielder missed on a diving attempt. History made.
Weston Wilson’s Improbable Journey to Hitting for a Cycle
Weston Wilson became the 10th player in franchise history to hit for a cycle. The Phillies have been a Major League Baseball team since 1883. J.T. Realmuto was the last Phillies player to hit for a cycle when he did so in 2023 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wilson’s cycle is the 348th cycle in Major League Baseball history. The last cycle before Wilson came on July 28 when Marlins infielder Xavier Edwards accomplished it.
Wilson isn’t a household name. In fact, he doesn’t play much. Wilson made his major league debut in 2023 with the Phillies and only played in eight games. He’s now played in 16 games this season with the Phillies. Wilson is slashing .342/.350/.684 with a 1.034 OPS in 38 at-bats. He now adds a cycle to his success this season.
Some players step up and make the most of their opportunities when given the chance. That’s exactly what Wilson has done in his limited time in the majors. He’s a career .333 hitter with 18 hits, including seven extra-base hits. He only has 54 career at-bats. The Phillies are looking for any spark they can get to put this rough patch behind them. These last two games might be enough to get them back to playing the way they were in the first half of the season. Wilson’s cycle could play a major role in doing so.
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