Phoenix, Arizona (March 31, 2026) - Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jose Fernandez hit two home runs in his major league debut as the team rallied for a 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Chase Field.[1][3]
Fernandez, a 22-year-old prospect from the Diamondbacks' system, connected for a solo home run in the fourth inning off Detroit starter Casey Mize, cutting Arizona's deficit to 7-3 after the Tigers scored five runs in the third.[1] He added a three-run homer off Tigers closer Kenley Jansen in the eighth inning, capping a six-run outburst that gave Arizona the lead.[1]
Fernandez finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. The performance came a day after his call-up to the majors on March 30, following the placement of first baseman Pavin Smith on the 10-day injured list with left elbow soreness.[1]
Fernandez became the seventh player since 1900 to hit two home runs in a major league debut, joining Bob Nieman (1951), Bert Campaneris (1964), Mark Quinn (1999), J.P. Arencibia (2010) and Trevor Story (2016). Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter accomplished the feat in his regular-season debut the previous week against the Seattle Mariners.[1][2]
"I returned to my days as a kid — just a dream come true," Fernandez said.[1]
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who has led the team since 2019, praised the rookie: "He deserves all this credit. We’re so proud of him. He’s a player who came through our system, through our academy."[1][4]
Chase Field, home of the Diamondbacks since 1998, hosted the early-season matchup on Tuesday night.[3][5]
Sources
- Fox News - Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jose Fernandez joined rare company... - March 31, 2026 - https://www.foxnews.com/sports
- MLB.com - 5 players who hit multiple home runs in their MLB debuts - April 4, 2016 (updated) - https://www.mlb.com/news/trevor-story-among-5-to-hit-2-homers-in-mlb-debut
- Arizona Diamondbacks - Official team website - Accessed 2026 - https://www.mlb.com/diamondbacks
- MLB.com - Torey Lovullo manager profile - Accessed 2026 - https://www.mlb.com/player/torey-lovullo-446988
- Wikipedia - Chase Field - Accessed 2026 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Field
