Drake Baldwin's 473-Foot Missile and Nobody in MLB Is Ready For His Comeback
HOLY MOLY, you guys. If you thought the early season action couldn't get more wild, then you absolutely missed what went down in Atlanta last night! Drake Baldwin, the dude who's been sidelined for nearly a month, stepped up to the plate in his FIRST at-bat back from injury and absolutely LAUNCHED a baseball 473 FEET! We're talking the longest home run in all of MLB this season, a leadoff moonshot against Giants starter Adrian Houser that landed somewhere in another zip code, deep in the Truist Park shrubbery. You gotta be kidding me, right? Talk about making an entrance!
Baldwin's Monster Return and What It Means
This wasn't just any bomb. This was Baldwin's 14th homer of the year and his third leadoff blast, coming after he'd been out since May 18 with a right oblique strain. Can you believe it? He gets activated from the 10-day IL on Monday, just hours after we find out he's leading all National League catchers in the KONAMI eBaseball All-Star Ballot update, and then he goes and does THIS! Before hitting the IL, Baldwin was tearing it up, batting .303 with 13 dingers and a ridiculous .932 OPS. The Braves had to outright Austin Wynns to Triple-A Gwinnett to make room, and with Sandy León now backing him up, Baldwin is back to being Atlanta’s main catcher, sometimes even DHing. You gotta figure his return is a HUGE shot in the arm for the Braves, who've been struggling a bit, dropping four of their last five games. And hey, let's not forget Ronald Acuña Jr. picked up a hamstring strain during that rough stretch. Our man Baldwin clearly didn't get the memo about easing back in. Move over Nick Kurtz (471 feet) and Shea Langeliers (467 feet), there’s a new king of the long ball!
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Philly Shakes Things Up With Schwarber at First, Marsh Leadoff
Meanwhile, down in Philadelphia, things got interesting with the Phillies pulling some wild moves on Tuesday night too. Kyle Schwarber, the slugger we all know for crushing homers, dusted off his first baseman's mitt for his first start at first base since 2021! Seriously, his first game there since his Red Sox days. While he got off his feet for a single inning back on May 7, this was his first action at first base in years, fielding a throw in the first inning. And guess what? His bat was still doing what it does best. Schwarber absolutely tattooed his MLB-leading 25th home run of the season, becoming only the fourth Phillies player EVER to hit 25 homers within the first 73 games, joining legends like Ryan Howard. Interim manager Don Mattingly put it best, saying, "He does work there occasionally... he handles himself all right out there. We have to be able to do it some to be able to get Harp off his feet." "Harp," of course, is Bryce Harper, who got a much-needed DH day after playing all 73 games, mostly at first base.
But wait, there's more from Philly! With Trea Turner out with a right wrist contusion, outfielder Brandon Marsh got the call to hit leadoff, a spot he hasn't seen in over four years, not since his Angels days in 2022. And like Schwarber, the change lit a fire under him! Marsh worked a leadoff walk and scored in the first, then mashed a two-run homer in the second. This guy is having a breakout season, and he's the first Phillie not named Schwarber or Turner to lead off this year. Turner, who started the season atop the lineup before his struggles moved him to the #2 spot on May 26, is expected back soon, so Marsh might not be sticking around that leadoff spot for long, but man, what a performance!
So, what's next? You gotta wonder if Schwarber will see more time at first, giving Harper more DH opportunities. And while Marsh might revert from leadoff, his red-hot bat is a huge early trend for the Phillies. But all eyes are on Baldwin. After that earth-shattering homer and an All-Star ballot lead, can he keep the Braves rolling despite their recent slide and Acuña's injury? We're on the edge of our seats to see if his comeback can spark a real turnaround for Atlanta. Get ready, folks, this season is just getting started, and it’s already delivering the goods!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.