The weekend showdown between the American League’s best and worst teams went as expected, with the Baltimore Orioles soundly sweeping the Oakland Athletics. Baltimore’s 12-1 win in Sunday’s season finale wasn’t especially dramatic, but one moment is producing debate among baseball fans.
With the Orioles leading 10-1 in the eighth inning, Gunnar Henderson came to the plate. Henderson was already having a big day. When he came to the plate in the eighth inning, he was 3-for-4 with a double, triple and home run. Needing only a single to complete the cycle. Henderson ripped a ball down the line and was presented with two options. Option 1, stop at first to complete the cycle. Option 2, turn to second and get an easy double.
Henderson took Option 2, foregoing the cycle.
Needing a single for the cycle, Gunnar Henderson laces a double down the line instead! pic.twitter.com/w8hGz1demx
— MLB (@MLB) August 20, 2023
If the outcome of the game was still in doubt, it’s unlikely that many people would have even considered suggesting Henderson stop at first. But Henderson’s hit made the score 11-1. Teams generally aren’t overcoming 10-run deficits, especially in the eighth inning. So, did Henderson make the right move?
The Orioles dugout even seemed to want him to stay at first, and plenty in the baseball world agreed. But several other people also felt that he made the right call.
Close game or early? Double all day. 10-1 (11-1 after my hit) in the 8th? I’m trotting to first. https://t.co/gHlDpKXSum
— Chris Yow (@ChrisYow14) August 20, 2023
There should be a term for having four hits that are at least a single, double, triple, and home run, respectively. Gunnar had himself one of those. https://t.co/1QkRg185tg
— Zach Wissner-Gross (@xaqwg) August 20, 2023
I could see if it was a close game but youre up 10 against the A’s stop at first bro 😂 https://t.co/D5HJ6E9fkd
— J (@jberrrrr) August 20, 2023
cycles are an arbitrary accomplishment, this is way more impressive lol
willing to bet there have been less homer/triple/2 double games https://t.co/QRvVGGIsnU
— EJNave (@twitchejnave) August 20, 2023
Cycles are incredibly overrated https://t.co/ORbWaysAXQ
— William Boor (@wboor) August 20, 2023
It’s incredibly dumb that he goes into the record books if he hits a single instead of a double here when a double is clearly a better outcome. The Cycle is the dumbest accomplishment in sports. https://t.co/mC4eK990Pw
— Greg Ehrenberg (@gehrenbergdfs) August 20, 2023
It’s hard to fault Henderson here. Even looking beyond the fact that it’s a team game, the double is better for Henderson individually. Cycles don’t tend to come up that much in contract negotiations. Things like total bases, slugging percentage, OPS and extra-base hits do.
If Henderson needed a double to close out a cycle, it would be easy to defend him trying to stretch a single into a double, especially in a blowout game. But in this situation, it’s hard to dispute that he did the right thing.
[MLB]
