Cardinals Rookie Joshua Baez Makes MLB History With Three Homers in First Three Plate Appearances

Baez, who was called up from Triple-A Memphis where he had been playing as recently as Sunday, slugged three homers and drove in five runs in an 8-4 road win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The 23-year-old launched his first career homer 449 feet to right field, followed with a full-count blast to center, and added a third opposite-field shot to left, sending all three home runs to different parts of the ballpark. The rookie had been a dominant force in the minors this season, leading all of Triple-A with 34 home runs and 90 RBIs across 103 games.

Selected in the second round (54th overall) of the 2021 draft, Baez struggled through 2024 with high strikeout totals and inconsistent hitting before making key adjustments last year, cutting his strikeout rate from 35.5% in 2024 to 20.6% in 2025. About 30 family members attended the game, though his father was not among them; he passed away three years ago. Baez said his father's dream was to play in the major leagues, and the only promise he made to his father was to fulfill that dream.