Byron Buxton Hits HR to Complete Cycle, 1st Twins Player to Achieve Feat Since 2019

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton completed the cycle with a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning during the team's 12-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Buxton went 5-for-5 in his first five at-bats against the Pirates and recorded two singles to go along with a double, triple and seventh-inning homer.

He became the second player to hit for the cycle during the 2025 season, joining Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly.

Buxton also became the 12th player in Twins history to complete the cycle and the first since Jorge Polanco did so in 2019.

It was also impressive that he was able to accomplish the feat after he was forced to exit Minnesota's 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, getting hit in the left hand by a pitch.

Buxton has seven hits in two games since his early departure against Chicago.

Saturday's performance also represented the second five-hit game of the 31-year-old's career.

Buxton is in the midst of a strong 2025 season, as he earned his second All-Star nod. He was also selected to participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday.

He's hitting .286 with 21 home runs, 13 doubles, 17 stolen bases and 55 RBIs across 77 games this year. Buxton's .921 OPS is also the second-highest mark of his career.

He helped the Twins improve to 47-48 with the victory, sitting just 3.5 games back from the final American League wild card spot despite trailing the Detroit Tigers by 12.5 games for the AL Central lead.