Joshua Báez Shines in MLB Debut with Historic Home Run Performance

In his first Major League Baseball game, St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Báez delivered a performance to remember. The 23-year-old made history by hitting a home run in each of his first three at-bats against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field.

Báez wasted no time, launching the first pitch he faced 450 feet for a two-run homer to center field, putting the Cardinals ahead 3-0. This impressive feat set the tone for a remarkable debut.

In his second at-bat, Báez faced Cubs starter Matt Boyd again. He battled Boyd through a full count before sending a 78-mph changeup 382 feet into the left-field seats. This home run restored the Cardinals’ lead to 4-3.

His third home run came off another Boyd pitch, an 83-mph slider. Báez sent the ball 368 feet into the right-field seats for yet another two-run homer, solidifying a 6-3 lead for the Cardinals.

This remarkable display of skill saw Báez hitting home runs to all three fields on three different pitches in his first three major league at-bats. His power and precision amazed his teammates and baseball fans alike.

In his fourth plate appearance, Báez showed his human side, hitting a line drive caught by Cubs left fielder Ian Happ. By this point, the Cardinals had an 8-4 advantage over the Cubs in the ninth inning.

Before his promotion to the majors, Báez had excelled in Triple-A, leading in home runs. He had been hitting .256 with 34 home runs, 90 RBI, and 21 stolen bases over 103 games. Drafted in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Báez was highly anticipated to contribute to the Cardinals’ young core alongside JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, and Alec Burleson.

The Cardinals, previously not expected to be contenders, started Saturday with a record of 61-61. They sat just 3.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies for the final National League Wild Card spot. Meanwhile, the Cubs led the Wild Card race and were three games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.

Joshua Báez’s debut signals a promising future for the Cardinals as they continue to aim for playoff success.