Joshua Báez’s Historic Debut
The Chicago Cubs faced a tough challenge when Joshua Báez made his major-league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. The rookie left fielder delivered an outstanding performance, hitting three home runs in a single game. His first homer, a 449-foot, two-run shot to center field, put the Cardinals ahead 3-0 in the first inning.
Báez’s Continued Success at the Plate
In the fourth inning, Báez faced Cubs starter Matthew Boyd again. This time, Boyd tried to outsmart him with a full-count changeup. Báez responded with a 382-foot solo home run to left field. His third at-bat was equally fruitful, as a back-door slider attempt from Boyd resulted in a 368-foot, two-run homer to right field. Báez’s impressive performance made him the first player to hit three homers in his major-league debut.
“He hit three different pitches for home runs,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell remarked. “He had a great game. He beat us for sure.”
Báez’s Rise to the Majors
Before joining the Cardinals, Báez played for Triple-A Memphis, exhibiting strong performance with 34 home runs and 90 RBIs in 103 games. His reputation preceded him, being ranked as baseball’s 59th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Boyd had tactically planned his approach against Báez, opting for a 93.4-mph fastball on the outer plate in their first encounter. However, Báez hit it at 108.6 mph for a memorable debut home run. It was a feat only achieved by a Cardinal since Adam Wainwright in 2006.
Responding to Chicago’s Challenge
Boyd struggled with control during the game. He gave up a walk to start the game and hit a batter, leading to a run before Báez’s home run. Though Cubs designated hitter Michael Conforto hit a three-run home run to tie the game, Boyd’s challenge lay in containing further damage, which he couldn’t manage in Báez’s later at-bats.
Counsell decided to keep Boyd in the game despite issues, believing Boyd’s performance hadn’t spiraled out of control yet. Despite the outcome, Counsell recognized that Báez’s success came from hitting quality pitches.
“It’s one of those games where you make mistakes,” Counsell said. “Sometimes that happens.”