St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Baez etched his name in the Major League Baseball (MLB) history with a spectacular big league debut.
On August 16, Baez started as the fifth batter and left fielder in a road game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. He led his team to an 8-4 victory with a jaw-dropping performance: 3-for-4 at the plate, including three home runs, five run batted ins (RBIs), and three runs scored.
Baez’s power was on full display as he turned all three of his hits into home runs, launching long balls in the first, fourth, and sixth innings.
He became the first player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three at-bats in a big league debut.
In a moment reminiscent of Adam Wainwright’s 2006 debut, Baez crushed Cubs starter Matthew Boyd’s first pitch over the fence in his initial at-bat.
This stellar performance follows Baez’s impressive Triple-A campaign, where he belted 34 home runs and recorded four multi-homer games before his call-up. His big league debut only reinforced his reputation as a formidable power hitter.
After the game, an elated Baez said that it’s unbelievable. Not just getting a hit, but three home runs? It’s truly amazing.
Even the opposing dugout was impressed. Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised Baez’s performance, saying that he hits home runs on three different pitches. It was an outstanding game.