Joshua Báez hits home runs in first three MLB at-bats, a first in history
St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Báez became the first player to homer in each of his first three major-league at-bats, joining a short list of players who homered in their first two appearances.
Joshua Báez made his major-league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday and hit a home run in each of his first three at-bats, a feat never before accomplished in MLB history. The 23-year-old outfielder’s first swing produced a two-run homer to left-center on the first pitch he saw, followed by another long shot to left field in the fourth inning and a third two-run blast to right field later in the game, giving the Cardinals a 6-3 lead.
Báez joined a very small group of players who have homered in their first two major-league at-bats, a list that previously included Keith McDonald in 2000 and Bob Nieman in 1951. The Cardinals called up the prospect from Triple-A Memphis on Friday after he posted a .256/.328/.573 line with 34 home runs, 90 RBIs, 21 stolen bases and 79 runs in 103 games.
"I promised my dad I’d make it to the big leagues," Báez said before his debut, referring to a promise he made to his late father.
At the time of Báez’s debut, St. Louis held a 61-61 record, trailing the Arizona Diamondbacks by 3.5 games for the National League wild-card spot. While the team will need consistent performance to secure a postseason berth, Báez’s immediate impact provided a notable boost.