Arya News - Báez, the Cardinals` No. 3 prospect, was called up from Triple-A Memphis following Friday`s game and put into Saturday`s starting lineup.
St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Báez made a historic first impression in his major league debut on Saturday. Facing the Chicago Cubs and starter Matthew Boyd , he became the first player in MLB history to hit home runs in each of his first three career at-bats.
Báez, ranked as the Cardinals" No. 3 prospect by MLB.com , was called up from Triple-A Memphis on Friday night and penciled into Saturday"s starting lineup versus the Chicago Cubs by manager Oliver Marmol. No one in the St. Louis organization likely expected the explosive kind of debut he had.
Batting fifth and playing left field, Báez quickly announced his MLB debut by hitting the first pitch he faced from Cubs starter Matthew Boyd for a home run. Boyd left a 93 mph fastball out over the plate where Báez could extend his arms and he did not miss.
The two-run homer from Báez gave the Cardinals an early 3-0 lead. St. Louis first got on the board following a leadoff walk by JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera getting hit by a pitch. Alec Burleson then drove in a run on a groundout. One pitch later, Báez gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.
Baez became the first Cardinals player to hit a home run in his first career major league at-bat since Adam Wainwright did so on May 24, 2006, according to MLB.com "s Sarah Langs.
The Cubs rallied to tie the score in the second inning. With two outs, Nico Hoerner reached base on an error by Cardinals third baseman Blaze Jordan. Pedro Ramírez then slapped a high fastball for a double before Michael Conforto turned on a high, inside fastball from Michael McGreevy for a 3-run homer.
Báez then followed up in his next at-bat — only the second of his major league career — with another home run. He needed six pitches to get this one, but Boyd spun a changeup in the middle of the zone for Báez to tee up for a solo shot.
The rookie wasn"t done yet. Báez led off the sixth inning and Boyd tried to stay away from the strike zone on his first two pitches. But he caught just enough of the box with a slider for Baez to drive to the opposite field for his third home run in three career MLB at-bats.
With two home runs in his first two at-bats, Báez joined a group of eight other MLB players to achieve that feat — including Cleveland Guardians slugger Chase DeLauter and Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Jose Fernández this season. But with his third homer, Báez took the pedestal for himself.
Báez, 23, was St. Louis" 2021 second-round pick out of Dexter Southfield School in Brookline, Massachusetts. Before his call-up, he hit 34 home runs with 90 RBI and a .256/.328/.573 slash average for the Redbirds.
This story will be updated with more information.