Castellanos is just 10th player ever to hit 58 2Bs

CHICAGO -- Cubs outfielder Nick Castellanos is approaching a milestone that has not been achieved in the Major Leagues in more than eight decades.

In the first inning of Saturday's 9-8 loss to the Cardinals, Castellanos drove a pitch from Cardinals righty Dakota Hudson deep into Wrigley Field's right-center-field gap for his 58th double of the season. He is only the 10th player in MLB history to reach that total and the only right-handed batter to achieve at least that many two-base hits since 1936.

That is also the last time a player reached 60 doubles in a single campaign. Throughout his rise up the all-time, single-season leaderboard for doubles, Castellanos has only shown an interest in discussing the Cubs' postseason chase.

"I'm trying to win ballgames. That's it," Castellanos said earlier this week. "Winning makes it a lot more fun and better. I'd rather win than get to 60 doubles."

Castellanos and Todd Helton (59 in 2000) are the only hitters since 1936 to record as many as 58 doubles in one season.

The last right-handed hitter to have at least as many as 58 doubles in a single campaign was Joe Medwick, who had 64 in 1936. The only players to have 60 or more doubles in one year are Earl Webb (67 in 1931), George Burns (64 in 1926), Medwick, Hank Greenberg, Paul Waner (62 in 1932) and Charlie Gehringer (60 in 1936).

Chicago acquired Castellanos from the Tigers prior to the July 31 Trade Deadline, and the outfielder has provided a huge lift to the Chicago lineup. The outfielder had 37 doubles in 100 games for Detroit and now has 21 two-baggers in 48 games (nine in his past nine games) for the North Siders.