CINCINNATI 鈥 Normally slotted in a spot in the order that鈥檇 allow him to hit with runners on base, Cardinals rookie Joshua Baez stepped into the batter鈥檚 box Monday afternoon at Great American Ball Park in a spot he鈥檚 rarely occupied.
Two days after making history with three homers in his first three at-bats in his big league debut, the 23-year-old Baez was moved up to the leadoff spot for Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Reds. The move came while JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals鈥 primary leadoff hitter, rested during Game 1 and after Baez hit fifth in his three-homer game on Saturday at Wrigley Field. Baez hit from that same spot Sunday in a series-clinching win over the Cubs.
鈥淛ust be himself,鈥 Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said of Baez鈥檚 chance first chance to leadoff a big league lineup. 鈥... We're looking to give (Wetherholt) an off-day, so he'll play in Game 2. With that spot being available in Game 1 against a lefty in this ballpark, I'd like to see him get as many shots at the lefty as possible, so leadoff it is.鈥
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Baez took at-bats from the first spot in an order as recently as this season while in Class AAA Memphis. Since being selected by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2021 MLB draft, he鈥檚 appeared in the No. 1 spot in the order 39 times in 452 games in the minors. Eighteen of the instances he hit first came in the Florida Complex League after he was drafted in 2021, which could be seen as a way for him to get ample at-bats in his introduction to pro ball.
Although the leadoff chances have been rare for Baez, whose power tool has kept him slotted lower, in a spot where he can hit with runners on base, he sought to treat the opportunity leading off Game 1 the same as if he were leading off any other inning.
鈥淚 got told to treat it like I was hitting fourth or fifth. It's like leading off the third but just in the first. Just taking it like that and just trying to do me,鈥 Baez said.
He looked to take the growth that he's shown in the middle of the order with him up the order.
"It's just having a plan and just being (committed) to it. If it's not where you want it, just being OK with it," Baez later said.
In his first at-bat of Monday鈥檚 doubleheader, which slotted him ahead of All-Stars Ivan Herrera and Jordan Walker, Baez fouled off a first-pitch sinker from starter Kent Emanuel, the left-hander the Reds added to their roster to pitch in Game 1. The Cardinals rookie was hit by a sweeper on the next pitch and then scored from second base two batters later on a double Alec Burleson pulled into the right field corner.
In his second at-bat, Baez came up with a spot he has seen regularly, as he hit with a runner in scoring position in an inning that extended long enough to get to his spot in the order.
With his second chance to hit against Emanuel after Blaze Jordan tripled off the wall in center field to lead off the inning, Baez took two change-ups out of the strike zone from Emanuel before lining a 2-0 change-up to center field with a 107.1 mph exit velocity for the inning鈥檚 final out.
He got a chance to face Emanuel in the third inning with runners on first and second base and two outs. In that at-bat, Baez grounded into a force-out that had a 106 mph exit velocity, per Statcast.
After making history by becoming the first player in major league history to homer three times in their MLB debut, all of which came against Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, Baez was hitless with three strikeouts in five at-bats on Sunday at Wrigley.
The 23-year-old saw 19 pitches across his five at-bats, which included a seven-pitch at-bat vs. starter Edward Cabrera that ended with Baez whiffing on a 3-2 change-up. The swing and miss on Cabrera's change-up marked his first strikeout in the majors after the young outfielder flew in his first trip to face Cabrera.
鈥淚 thought he was better than the line, to be quite honest with you,鈥 Marmol said of Baez鈥檚 Sunday performance. 鈥淐abrera made some really good pitches on him. Excited to continue to see more of it.鈥
Urias to continue building up
Utility infielder Ramon Urias continued his rehab assignment Sunday by playing seven innings at third base for Class AAA Memphis. The start was Urias鈥 third consecutive for Memphis after he was used as the designated hitter on Saturday and played seven innings at third base on Friday.
While Urias has shown progress in recovery from right and left elbow injuries, the veteran still has no timetable set for when he can return, Marmol said. The Cardinals want to see Urias check 鈥渁ll the boxes鈥 before he is activated. The build they want to see includes seeing Urias play in back-to-back nine-inning games.
Urias has been on the injured list since early May.
The 27th players
The Cardinals called up left-handed starter Quinn Mathews to make a start in Game 1 of Monday鈥檚 doubleheader. The start was Mathews鈥 second in the majors after he debuted on Aug. 1 on the road vs. the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Reds appointed right-hander Zach McCambley as their 27th player for both doubleheader games. Cincinnati also designated Ron Marinaccio to clear a spot for them to add Emanuel for the spot start.
After making history as the first player to hit three home runs in his Major League Baseball debut, Cardinals rookie Joshua Baez told reporters that he felt the spirit of his father buzzing around him Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, at Wrigley Field. 馃悵
