Joshua Baez Hits 3 HRs in MLB Debut as Cardinals Beat Cubs 8-4

Joshua Baez became the first player in MLB history to homer in his first three career at-bats during the St. Louis Cardinals' 8-4 win on Saturday.

Joshua Baez led the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field by becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit three home runs in his first three career at-bats. The 23-year-old outfielder, who was promoted from Triple-A Memphis earlier that day, drove in five runs and tagged Cubs starter Matthew Boyd for all three of his round-trippers. St. Louis secured the win a day after losing the series opener, bolstered by additional solo home runs from Blaze Jordan and Alec Burleson.

Baez’s historic performance began in the first inning when he launched the first pitch he saw into the left-center field bleachers for a two-run shot. According to ESPN tracking data, the ball traveled 449 feet, marking the third-longest home run in a player's MLB debut since 2006, trailing only Jason Heyward’s 476-foot blast in 2010 and Aaron Judge’s 457-foot homer in 2016. The rookie left fielder followed this by leading off the fourth inning with a home run on a full-count pitch down the left-field line. He completed the trifecta in the sixth inning with another two-run homer sent to the opposite field.

Pitching Lines and Scoring Breakdown

Matthew Boyd (8-2) took the loss for Chicago, surrendering seven runs on five hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings of work. The left-hander managed only two strikeouts before being chased from the game following Blaze Jordan’s home run. The Cubs' offense was highlighted by Michael Conforto, who hit a three-run home run in the second inning to briefly tie the game at 3-3. Despite the loss, Chicago entered the contest having won nine of their previous 11 games.

Baez is the first St. Louis player to homer in his initial career plate appearance since Lane Thomas achieved the feat in 2019. Ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Cardinals system and No. 93 overall by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, Baez arrived in the majors leading all of Triple-A with 34 home runs this season. This performance marked his second game in two months with at least three home runs, following a four-homer outing for Memphis in June.

Historical Significance and Series Context

Prior to this record-setting debut, no player had ever recorded three home runs within their first three plate appearances in the major leagues. The Cardinals utilized the five-RBI production from their rookie to distance themselves after the Cubs evened the score early. Burleson and Jordan provided the necessary insurance runs to finalize the four-run margin of victory.

The three-game series concludes on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, with the game scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN. Baez will look to build on his debut performance as the Cardinals attempt to win the series against their divisional rivals. The rookie's power surge at Wrigley Field follows a dominant stretch in the minor leagues where his 34 homers paced the entire Triple-A level for the 2026 season.