r/baseball • u/JianClaymore San Francisco Giants • MLB Pride • Aug 15 '26
Players Only JOSHUA BÁEZ HAS HOMERED IN HIS THIRD STRAIGHT AB
4.1k
u/Mg29reaper Boston Red Sox Aug 15 '26
And he hit them to all 3 fields. Perhaps the greatest first game ever
798
u/iFinesseThePlugg Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Nothing beats it
We’ll never see this again
271
u/ThatsNotARealTree Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
And it’s not even over yet…
149
u/Aaprobst88 Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
At this point screw it. Let's see how many he can get.
127
u/ajp12290 Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
I've always claimed to be a baseball fan first and today proves it. Let's see a 4th!
→ More replies (3)20
u/-allday2891- Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
I was feeling the same thing. I was sitting here hoping he'd hit his 4th in that last AB lol
33
→ More replies (1)24
96
u/triplec787 San Francisco Giants • Colorado Rockies Aug 15 '26
Story went 2-6 with two knocks, Willie Mac went 4-4 with two triples.
Those are probably the two next closest and they’re nowhere near lol
→ More replies (4)62
u/WasV3 Toronto Blue Jays Aug 15 '26
JP Arencebia went 3-5 with 2 HR, 1 2B
→ More replies (1)36
u/triplec787 San Francisco Giants • Colorado Rockies Aug 15 '26
Great shout I forgot about that. Still the weirdest debut lmao 4-5 with 2 HR, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R…
And then just one hit the rest of the year over 32 PAs lol
→ More replies (16)46
u/RockemChalkemRobot St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
This is for sure Tatis-level.
86
u/Existential_Vibes St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
I watched the 2 grandslam Tatis inning live and this feels like a similar level of disbelief and excitement for me.
→ More replies (2)24
u/ty_fighter84 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
It’s still wild that he hit both off of Chan Ho Park
→ More replies (1)318
u/Philisterguyguster Toronto Blue Jays Aug 15 '26
Does anyone know if there’s anything even close to this?
508
u/PAJW St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Joshua Baez is the first player to ever hit 3 HR in his major league debut.
Joshua Baez is the second player to have 6 RBI in his major league debut (Starlin Castro)
Joshua Baez is the third Cardinals player to hit 3 HR in one game at Wrigley Field (Matt Carpenter, Albert Pujols)
He is making a real strong case for himself.
→ More replies (7)160
u/melbourne3k Major League Baseball Aug 15 '26
He's doing nothing to shake the baby Pujols comparisons.
97
u/marko719 Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
6'-3" 220 lbs is a big strong baby.
→ More replies (3)32
u/chusmeria Aug 15 '26
About 10lbs lighter than pujols, so more like only-a-baby's-weight-worth-of-difference pujols
→ More replies (2)237
u/Mg29reaper Boston Red Sox Aug 15 '26
On the hitting side I don't think so but there have been first game no hitters thrown
101
u/Blanketsburg Boston Red Sox Aug 15 '26
There has been just one debut-game no-hitter, and it was Bumpus Jones in 1892. All others were either pitching in relief as part of a no-hitter, or a first career game started but not a debut.
The only other thing I can think of on the hitting side is Kevin Kouzmanoff and Daniel Nava hitting grand slams on the very first pitch of their first plate appearance of their careers.
99
u/sloppyjo12 Cincinnati Reds • MLB Pride Aug 15 '26
Obviously we all know about Bumpus Jones, a household name such as himself
→ More replies (3)19
→ More replies (6)8
u/Miner_Guyer St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Tyler Gilbert got a no-hitter in his first career start, but it wasn't his debut (only writing this comment for people like me who vaguely remembered it happening)
→ More replies (5)85
u/RockemChalkemRobot St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Stuff will play at every level. Hitting like this is insane.
→ More replies (8)68
u/saltface14 Toronto Blue Jays Aug 15 '26
Reminds me of Auston Matthews 4 goals in his first NHL game but 3 homers in 3 at bats is even crazier and more difficult
→ More replies (2)91
u/Lucky_Alternative965 Los Angeles Dodgers Aug 15 '26
I'd save this comment for when he hits his 4th out of the stadium, then we can say for sure it's the best first game ever.
→ More replies (1)75
u/WxBlue St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
The crazy thing is this kid already had a game in with 4 home runs in a single game just two months ago. He is definitely capable of it.
→ More replies (2)74
u/THE_FETUS_LORD St. Louis Cardinals • Atlanta Braves Aug 15 '26
I'd say the fact that he has hit 3 makes it pretty clear he is capable of hitting another...
→ More replies (3)28
u/ialsohaveadobro St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Controversial but I'll let it slide
→ More replies (2)25
u/YogurtclosetFun9210 Aug 15 '26
a homer cycle
→ More replies (1)14
u/EcstaticYoghurt7467 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Two bad that run scored before his first one, or he'd have a solo, 2, and 3 run HR so far.
39
u/xStayHungry Los Angeles Angels Aug 15 '26
And on 3 different pitches! Absolutely unreal
9
u/ialsohaveadobro St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
He yanked that first one from the outside edge of the plate and even managed to pull it slightly as he sent it 449 ft. Crazy- looking
→ More replies (18)14
u/ttthhhhppppptt St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Inside the park home next!! He’s real fast too!
→ More replies (1)
1.7k
u/billyshakes67 Washington Nationals Aug 15 '26
WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS
509
u/mahrinazz Seattle Mariners Aug 15 '26
That’s exactly what Matthew Boyd was thinking, his face after this was so funny lmao
→ More replies (1)234
u/billyshakes67 Washington Nationals Aug 15 '26
Best J Baez to ever play in Wrigley
80
u/Harachel Toronto Blue Jays Aug 15 '26
True unless Joan Baez has ever played a show there
→ More replies (1)39
55
u/wako944 Montreal Expos Aug 15 '26
Boyd is gonna see this kid in his nightmares for the rest of his life
19
→ More replies (3)6
u/Kaldricus Seattle Mariners • Chaos Bandwagon Aug 15 '26
On pace for 486 home runs over 162 games. Haters will say this is unsustainable
950
u/OuttaFox2Give St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
232
u/BILLIKEN_BALLER Seattle Mariners Aug 15 '26
67
u/wayfarerer San Francisco Giants Aug 15 '26
38
u/SylemNova Cleveland Guardians • Portland Pickles Aug 15 '26
32
→ More replies (1)30
54
u/CGI_Fridays Los Angeles Dodgers Aug 15 '26
33
→ More replies (1)41
909
Aug 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
389
u/OneLastAuk Washington Nationals Aug 15 '26
Is he washed up? Did the Cards use him too much, too early? People are asking.
→ More replies (1)56
23
u/Slm23630 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
If we regress him to the mean he only went 1-3 and it was a double
18
u/Krypty Philadelphia Phillies Aug 15 '26
One of the greatest posts to ever hit /r/nfl.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (8)36
u/4r4r4real Aug 15 '26
What if it's asymptotic and he'll forever hit homers that clear the wall by less and less?
→ More replies (3)
830
u/That_Air_1119 San Francisco Giants Aug 15 '26
This has to be the best debut performance of all time right?
669
u/Waddlow St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Well, in the history of baseball, no one has ever hit 3 homers in their debut, so, yes.
227
u/BloodyPants Texas Rangers Aug 15 '26
first start nono or perfect game is only thing that could top this.
kerry wood but it was his fifth start
110
u/Waddlow St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Or I suppose, a 4th homer.
But it is only the 7th inning....
41
u/RumbleTheCassette Montreal Expos • St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
We gotta get the game tied up so we can get 18 innings and 7 HR in 7 AB.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (8)38
u/citizenkane86 Aug 15 '26
Didn’t Strassburg strike out like 15 in his debut?
25
u/examinedliving Baltimore Orioles • St. Louis Browns Aug 15 '26
- 7 innings. Pretty impressive. Ben McDonald had a relief appearance , but his first game as a starter was a complete game shutout.
Jr Richard struck out 15 in a complete game. Johnny Cueto struck out 10 in 7.
It’s gotta be Cueto or Strasburg I think (Richard was from a different era), but I don’t know. This one might eclipse them,
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (2)15
29
u/UnknownFiddler St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Yes, and all 3 were to different parts of the field
→ More replies (2)12
→ More replies (6)29
1.2k
u/ThatInception New York Yankees Aug 15 '26
This man is INSANE
666
u/StickComfortable346 Arizona Diamondbacks • Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
He's on pace for 120 homers this season
273
u/SilicoJack Toronto Blue Jays Aug 15 '26
Those are rookie numbers
→ More replies (1)100
u/KimHaSeongsBurner San Diego Padres Aug 15 '26
He isn’t going to win Rookie of the Year this year, but like… it’s a fun thought experiment to say “how crazy would a rookie have to play in a short sample to win RotY?”
40
u/furdaboise New York Yankees Aug 15 '26
2016 Gary Sanchez went way off in August and that conversation was had
→ More replies (2)33
→ More replies (1)47
u/SaltwaterRedneck Arizona Diamondbacks Aug 15 '26
Actually 160 because he’s almost guaranteed to hit a 4th in his 4th AB if history is any indicator
→ More replies (1)52
u/full-of-sonder New York Yankees Aug 15 '26
I tuned in - this kid is so calm at the plate, slapped a historical home run the opposite way. How is baseball NOT ROMANTIC?
37
39
u/Tangential_Comment New York Yankees Aug 15 '26
Decades watching baseball, I'll never see this again. Maybe nobody ever will. Amazing!
47
59
u/Denode Los Angeles Dodgers Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Not even getting fed meatballs. Three different pitches, and one each in left/center/right field in that order.
History. Legend. And every bit of it, earned.
54th overall pick in 2021. 59th ranked prospect. Baseball.
→ More replies (3)14
u/ichabod01 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
ESPN’s gamecast said homers hit were four seam, change up, change up.
7
→ More replies (1)7
785
u/mcjenkins4 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
This kid is unreal what the hell
175
u/iFinesseThePlugg Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Unreal is right. This is pure fantasy
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)67
u/ecdc05 Boston Red Sox Aug 15 '26
So nobody's beating the Cards ever again, huh?
→ More replies (2)192
u/Heisenberglund St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Nah, we still have our bullpen.
103
u/Wowaburrito St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
22
u/Aaprobst88 Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
He Homer's on his next two ABs, Cards lose 10-9.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)17
207
1.7k
u/stjblair St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Why doesn’t every player simply homer every at bat
498
83
u/Tajikistani Minnesota Twins Aug 15 '26
What, like it's hard?
→ More replies (2)11
u/yorick__rolled Baltimore Orioles Aug 16 '26
Legally Blonde? In my baseball subreddit?
It's more likely than you think. Talk to your kids about Reese Witherspoon before she talks to them first.
→ More replies (10)23
326
u/JGad14 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
First was 450' dead center, second was pulled to left, and now opposite field bomb. This man can do everything
→ More replies (1)139
u/hilljd1210 Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
I need to see him hit an inside the park home run next time up
151
u/Area51_Spurs Los Angeles Dodgers Aug 15 '26
Dawg can you even imagine. We don’t even have a name for that because nobody thought you could do left right up and down.
Gonna have to call it a Konami.
31
u/hilljd1210 Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
Lol this is genuinely one of the best comments I've seen on reddit, that's hilarious
15
u/Area51_Spurs Los Angeles Dodgers Aug 15 '26
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A,
(Select)E,StartZ→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)8
860
u/hypnoticus103 Milwaukee Brewers Aug 15 '26
HOLY FUCK A THIRD. BEST DAY OF THIS KID’S LIFE.
591
Aug 15 '26
[deleted]
→ More replies (2)144
u/theLennoxMacduff St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Nobody there will.
67
u/Alternative_Laws St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
I’m at home on my couch and I won’t either
→ More replies (2)22
u/RyFromTheChi Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
I sold my tickets to a buddy that’s a Cards fan and he’s losing his mind lol
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)73
u/dmont89 San Francisco Giants Aug 15 '26
He ain't seeing another pitch today.
→ More replies (1)47
u/ABigPairOfCrocs Atlanta Braves Aug 15 '26
All time villain move to intentionally walk him when he comes up again
834
262
u/ajteitel Arizona Diamondbacks Aug 15 '26
Sustainable.
163
68
u/omniscientbeet Detroit Tigers • Los Angeles Angels Aug 15 '26
Only running a .613 xBA. Regression will come for him
39
u/doublegoldendragon Los Angeles Dodgers Aug 15 '26
BABIP of 0 though, that's sure to improve
→ More replies (1)
312
u/Orangebeast013 New York Yankees Aug 15 '26
Just gotta start walking him. Hes the greatest of all time
150
u/Kooky-Process-8261 Seattle Mariners Aug 15 '26
First player to become an automatic IBB in his first MLB game
18
u/Ok_Storm549 Cleveland Guardians Aug 15 '26
I remember that the Rays IBB’d Bazzana in his debut.
13
u/meerkatmreow Cleveland Guardians Aug 15 '26
To be fair, that was an easy decision in the bottom of the ninth with Austin Hedges on deck and first base open with a guy on second (though he's been a beast this summer)
392
u/AdrianCoyote St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
No player in MLB history has hit homers in their first three at bats…
…until today.
UNREAL!!!
→ More replies (8)29
91
173
u/kporter4692 Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Also I feel you Boyd. I wasn’t sure he got it but Boyd’s sideways stand just looking dumbfounded at home plate gave it away.
55
u/AaronRodgers16 Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
Of the 3-homer games a player has had in a Cubs game this week, this one is by far my least favorite
73
73
u/Ok_Delay3740 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
There was that post earlier today asking why do you like to watch baseball. I replied that every once in a while you see something you’ve never seen before. Today is every once in a while.
66
59
120
u/Yimpish St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
45
167
u/Kuchar1992 Boston Red Sox Aug 15 '26
Welcome back Albert Pujols
84
9
u/foshiiy Houston Astros Aug 15 '26
Gotta add some mass to that ass and then he’ll be complete
→ More replies (1)
202
u/InexactGraph39 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
Many are saying it’s the best game by a J. Baez in Wrigley Field history
14
10
154
u/Pseudonova Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
69
u/Thecrdbrdsamurai Pittsburgh Pirates Aug 15 '26
47
u/krcrooks St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
30
u/Always_Chubb-y St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
18
→ More replies (1)22
u/hypnoticus103 Milwaukee Brewers Aug 15 '26
→ More replies (1)16
→ More replies (1)23
50
52
u/PrufrockAlfredJ Toronto Blue Jays Aug 15 '26
Is he allowed to do that?
→ More replies (1)6
u/Itsdanaozideshihou Minnesota Twins Aug 15 '26
At this rate he's going to walk it off just to make a point that he's allowed to do whatever he wants!
→ More replies (1)
103
u/the_dayman623 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
All 3 to different areas of the field. I’ve ran out of cum
→ More replies (2)25
47
87
31
29
87
u/tbtorra Chicago Cubs • Colorado Rockies Aug 15 '26
This is fun, I’m not even mad.
50
u/TakeAMichigander Chicago Cubs Aug 15 '26
Yeah not even pissed. We have a big enough wild card lead on everyone and I hate the Cardinals but holy shit we're seeing history
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (5)23
25
21
25
u/see_mohn regretful mets fan Aug 15 '26
"Who's the best hitter you ever faced?"
Mariano Rivera: Edgar Martinez
Tom Glavine: Tony Gwynn
Matthew Boyd: Joshua Baez
19
u/Heat-Limp Sickos Aug 15 '26
Wait, does he have a solo, 2 and 3 run homer so far? Because I would like a fourth at bat grand slam, if you’re taking orders.
→ More replies (2)
17
19
u/Konker101 Toronto Blue Jays Aug 15 '26
This is gonna be one hell of a fucking challenge on The Show.. gyatdaym
19
u/3luejays Toronto Blue Jays Aug 15 '26
Cardinals had the GOAT in their minor league system and specifically called him up against the Cubs. Legendary shit
17
17
15
14
15
u/GamingJake1318 Los Angeles Angels Aug 15 '26
This is the goofy part about baseball that we all love
Sport’s been around for 150 odd years and we’re still seeing new things
14
u/HeckOnWheels95 Atlanta Braves Aug 15 '26
Of course it's the Cardinals that has someone like this in their system
12
10
12
u/Brave_Bench904 Philadelphia Phillies Aug 15 '26
Nobody has EVER hit 3 in their debut
And I will NEVER win the powerball
23
13
u/da_choppa St. Louis Cardinals • St. Louis Browns Aug 15 '26
One to every field. I'd say the rebuild is going well.
→ More replies (2)
11
u/FartTootman St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
3 HR in first 3 major league AB. That... uh... is something you don't see every day.
11
10
10
u/will122589 New York Mets Aug 15 '26
Bro should retire as the greatest hitter statistically in MLB history
It’s only downhill from here lol
→ More replies (1)
10
9
9
8
9
7
6
u/ilovehenrique14 St. Louis Cardinals Aug 15 '26
followed him for years didn't even know he was debuting he's doing WHAT
7
u/Squishy_20 Seattle Mariners Aug 15 '26
Chip Caray has seen a few insane MLB Debuts in his time, but nothing like this
7
u/Atraktape Los Angeles Dodgers Aug 15 '26
I've always rated the lad from the first time I heard about him earlier today.
8
u/HipnotiK1 New York Yankees Aug 15 '26
Who is this guy and where did he come from
→ More replies (5)
8
u/childeroland79 Philadelphia Phillies Aug 15 '26
We’re witnessing the birth of the one true outcome player.
8
•
u/trendingtattler Aug 15 '26
This post has reached r/all or r/popular, which means it’s now being seen by a much wider audience outside our usual community. To help keep the discussion high-quality and protect the space from spam, trolling, and rule-breaking, we’ve turned on "Players Only" mode.
What that means:
Thanks for your understanding and for helping keep the conversation thoughtful and on-topic.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.