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Joshua Báez Smacks Four Homers in Redbirds' Win

6/18/2026

Summary

Báez Four-HRs

Joshua Báez hit four home runs for the Redbirds in a 12-5 win over Nashville on June 16, 2026, the team's first four-homer game.
He went 4-for-5 with seven RBI, three runs in the first inning and a 408-foot blast in the third.
His line rose to .282/.976 with 23 homers, 58 RBI and 12 steals in 62 games, making him the No. 3 Cardinals prospect, though depth may keep him in Triple-A.

Summary

Báez Contact Concerns

The Cardinals note Baez’s zone-contact rate sits just below 75%, placing him in the third percentile, and stress disciplined hitting that conflicts with his 88th-percentile swing rate and 6th-percentile chase rate.
Although he posted a 1.322 OPS in June with seven homers, the club worries his “boom-or-bust” profile may not translate against pitching.
Fantasy observers caution that Baez could become a waiver-wire liability if his contact deficiencies persist.

History

Historical Context

Mark McGwire’s 70 home runs in the 1998 season sparked a league-wide power surge that revived fan interest after the 1994 strike-cut season. The Cardinals, his team, rode that momentum while the chase with Sammy Sosa captured national attention. The record stood until Barry Bonds eclipsed it with 73 homers in 2001, shaping today’s emphasis on power prospects.

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Báez Four-HRs

Joshua Báez hit four home runs for the Redbirds in a 12-5 win over Nashville on June 16, 2026, the team's first four-homer game.
He went 4-for-5 with seven RBI, three runs in the first inning and a 408-foot blast in the third.
His line rose to .282/.976 with 23 homers, 58 RBI and 12 steals in 62 games, making him the No. 3 Cardinals prospect, though depth may keep him in Triple-A.

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