St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Báez etched his name in Major League Baseball history Saturday, becoming the first player to hit a home run in each of his first three career plate appearances. The unprecedented performance occurred during the Cardinals' game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Báez, 23, wasted no time in his big league debut. On the very first pitch he faced, he launched a 450-foot, two-run home run to center field, giving the Cardinals an early lead. The blast off Cubs starter Matt Boyd sent the Cardinals' dugout into a frenzy.
His historic feat continued in the fourth inning when Báez hit his second home run of the game, a 382-foot shot to left field, also off Boyd. This homer gave the Cardinals a 4-3 advantage.
In his third plate appearance, Báez homered for the third consecutive time. He connected with an 83-mph slider from Boyd, sending it 368 feet to right field for a two-run blast, extending the Cardinals' lead to 6-3. The consecutive home runs showcased Báez's power and ability to adjust to different pitches, as he homered off a fastball, a changeup, and a slider in his first three at-bats.
While Báez proved human in his fourth at-bat, lining out to left field, his historic performance had already captivated the game. At the time of the report, the Cardinals held an 8-4 lead in the ninth inning.
Before his call-up to the majors on Saturday, Báez led Triple-A in home runs. In 103 games for the Cardinals' minor league affiliate, he batted .256 with 34 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. The Cardinals drafted Báez in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of high school, and the team hopes he can become a key part of their young core, alongside players like JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, and Alec Burleson.
The St. Louis Cardinals, who were not widely expected to contend this season, have exceeded expectations. Entering Saturday's game, they held a 61-61 record and were within 3.5 games of the final Wild Card spot in the National League. The Cubs, meanwhile, held the top Wild Card position and were three games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central standings.