Báez hits 3 homers in MLB debut: Where it ranks all-time
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- Joshua Báez went 3-for-4 with three home runs, five RBI and all three homers came in his first three at-bats in his MLB debut at Wrigley Field, opening with a 449-foot blast to center field on his first pitch as a big leaguer.
- Báez became only the third player to homer in each of his first two MLB at-bats before adding a third, a feat the article notes was achieved by a player who was leading the minors with 36 home runs at the time of his promotion.
- Bumpus Jones (Oct. 15, 1892, Reds) remains the only pitcher in baseball history to throw a no-hitter in his MLB debut, finishing with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts across 9 innings against the Pirates.
- J.R. Richard (Sept. 6, 1971, Astros) set the still-standing MLB debut strikeout record with 15 Ks against the Giants, fanning Hall of Famer Willie Mays three times in the game.
- Stephen Strasburg (June 8, 2010, Nationals) struck out 14 in what the article calls "perhaps the most anticipated debut in baseball history," later winning 2019 World Series MVP.
- Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge (Aug. 13, 2016, Yankees) became the first set of teammates to each homer in their MLB debut in the same game, slugging back-to-back homers in the second inning against the Rays.
- Juan Marichal (July 19, 1960, Giants) came within four outs of joining Bumpus Jones as the only pitchers to no-hit on debut, finishing with a one-hit, 12-strikeout masterpiece against the Phillies that was the first of his 457 career starts.
Why it matters: Báez's three-homer debut is a statistical outlier in MLB history — only eight players had previously hit two homers in an MLB debut before him, and he added a third in the same game. The achievement lands him in a tier above even hyped prospects like Strasburg and Judge, though the Cardinals' long history of developed talent means Báez's true placement depends on whether his minor-league power (36 homers) carries into a sustained big-league career.
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