Joshua Báez made history by becoming the first player in Major League Baseball to hit home runs in his first three at-bats in the big leagues. The 23-year-old left fielder accomplished the feat on August 15, 2026, at Wrigley Field, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-4 [1, 2, 3].
Báez was called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier that same day and wasted no time making an impact. He hit the first pitch he saw for a two-run homer over center field, a mammoth shot that traveled approximately 449 to 450 feet [1, 2, 3].
His second home run came off a 78-mph changeup, a 382-foot blast to left field, while his third was a two-run home run to right field off an 83-mph slider, measured at 368 feet [2, 3]. All three home runs came against Chicago Cubs starter Matthew Boyd [1, 2, 3].
Báez drove in five runs in the game and helped the Cardinals pull within 3.5 games of a Wild Card spot with the win. Before his call-up, Báez led the minor leagues with 36 home runs and posted a .256/.328/.573 slash line in 103 games at Triple-A [1, 2, 3].
He was a second-round draft pick by St. Louis in 2021 out of high school and is viewed as a key component of the team's young core. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol praised Báez's mindset, saying, "There's an edge to it. There's a confidence to it, and he has a work ethic that's fun to watch too. He knows how to get after it. He wants to win, and it's fun to inject that into this clubhouse" [2].
Michael McGreevy earned the win for the Cardinals in the game. Entering the contest, St. Louis held a .500 record at 61-61 [1, 3].
Báez's historic debut is the first step in his MLB career after a standout minor league performance. The Cardinals will look to build on the momentum as the season progresses.
