Texas Rangers Rookie Wyatt Langford Makes History By Hitting For The Cycle

Wyatt Langford became the second rookie in Texas Rangers history to hit for the cycle on Sunday, doing everything he could do lift his team to a road win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Jun 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford (36) runs to third base in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.
Jun 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford (36) runs to third base in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Texas Rangers enjoyed a blowout road win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, thanks in large part to the historic contributions of rookie left fielder Wyatt Langford.

Langford went 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs and four RBI. More importantly, Langford hit for the cycle, becoming the first MLB player to do so in 2024.

After flying out to right in his first at-bat of the night, Langford checked off the triple to lead off the top of the fourth. He then added an RBI double in the top of the fifth before notching an infield single in the sixth.

Langford capped things off by blasting a three-run home run in the top of the eighth, taking Matt Krook yard with a 404-foot bomb that stayed just inside the left field foul pole.

Langford, naturally, made multiple instances of history during his all-around dominant performance at the plate on Sunday.

For one, Langford became the second rookie in Rangers history to hit for the cycle, and the first since Oddibe McDowell in 1985. There have now been 11 cycles recorded by Rangers hitters, with Langford's representing the first since Carlos Gomez's in 2017, per team broadcaster Jared Sandler.

Langford also became the eighth player since 1950 to hit for the cycle within their first 60 MLB appearances, according to MLB.com's Sarah Langs. Langford and Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz are the only players to achieve the feat in the last 17 seasons.

On top of all that, Langford became the first player ever to hit for the cycle on "Sunday Night Baseball," as Lang passed along from the Elias Sports Bureau. ESPN has been broadcasting "Sunday Night Baseball" since 1990.

Langford is now batting .260 with four home runs, 35 RBI, seven stolen bases, a .712 OPS and a 0.5 WAR in 2024. The 22-year-old entered the season as the No. 2 prospect in the Rangers' farm system and the No. 6 prospect in all of baseball.

Follow Fastball on FanNation on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.


Published
Sam Connon

SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.