Diamondbacks' Third Baseman Slugs Two HRs in MLB Debut

22-year-old Jose Fernandez becomes just the seventh player since 1900 to hit two homers in his first big league game.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 7:04am

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Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jose Fernandez made a memorable MLB debut, hitting two home runs, including a go-ahead three-run shot in the eighth inning, to lead his team to a 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers. The 22-year-old Venezuelan became just the seventh player since 1900 to accomplish the rare feat of hitting two homers in his first career regular-season game.

Why it matters

Fernandez's powerful debut is a feel-good story for the Diamondbacks, who are looking to build around their young talent. His performance also adds to the growing list of impressive MLB debuts in recent years, with Cleveland's Chase DeLauter also hitting two homers in his first game just last week.

The details

Fernandez, who was not on the Diamondbacks' opening day roster, joined the team on Monday after an injury to Pavin Smith. In his first big league game, he finished with three hits and four RBIs, including a three-run homer in the eighth inning that gave Arizona the lead. His two-homer game puts him in elite company, joining just six other players since 1900 to accomplish the rare feat in an MLB debut.

  • Fernandez made his MLB debut on Tuesday, April 1, 2026.
  • His two-homer game came in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The players

Jose Fernandez

A 22-year-old third baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks, making his MLB debut after being called up from the minors.

Kenley Jansen

A four-time MLB All-Star closer who Fernandez hit a three-run home run against in the eighth inning.

Chase DeLauter

A Cleveland phenom who also hit two home runs in his MLB debut just last week.

Torey Lovullo

The manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who praised Fernandez's performance and development through the team's system.

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What they’re saying

“I returned to my days as a kid -- just a dream come true.”

— Jose Fernandez, Diamondbacks Third Baseman

“He deserves all this credit. We're so proud of him. He's a player who came through our system, through our academy, and it's a great story, a great baseball story. We've known about Jose for a long time. We knew he was coming.”

— Torey Lovullo, Diamondbacks Manager

What’s next

Fernandez will look to build on his impressive debut as he aims to solidify his spot in the Diamondbacks' lineup going forward.

The takeaway

Fernandez's two-homer debut is a heartwarming story of a young player seizing his opportunity and making the most of his first big league chance. His performance adds to the growing list of impressive MLB debuts in recent years and provides a boost for the Diamondbacks as they look to develop their next generation of stars.