Cardinals outfielder Joshua Baez made a historic MLB debut on Saturday, crushing a 449-foot home run on the first pitch he saw and becoming the first player to hit a home run in each of his first three major league at-bats, according to ESPN. Baez, called up from Triple-A Memphis, had 30 family members at Wrigley Field to witness the moment, including his mother. The 23-year-old finished with three home runs and five RBIs, helping St. Louis defeat the Chicago Cubs 8-4. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol praised Baez’s poise, while Cubs manager Craig Counsell acknowledged Baez’s impact, saying he “beat us, for sure.”
Baez’s first homer was the third-longest in a player’s MLB debut since ESPN began tracking home run distances in 2006, trailing only Jason Heyward and Aaron Judge. His next two at-bats produced a solo shot down the left-field line and another homer to the opposite field. Baez had led Triple-A with 34 home runs before his call-up and is the ninth Cardinal to debut this season. Baez is set for an encore in the series finale against the Cubs on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. ESPN and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
