The baseball world waits for some rookies for years. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was a household name long before he took his first big-league swing. So were Ronald Acuna and Bryce Harper. But sometimes, the rookies surprise us. Ever heard of Aristides Aquino?
You have now. Aquino is an outfielder whom the Cincinnati Reds called up last week, and all he has done since then is mash. His nickname from the minor leagues is “The Punisher,” and he’s certainly lived up to it this far.
In his greatest performance to date, he hit three home runs in the first four innings of a rout of the Cubs on Saturday night, giving him seven homers in his first 10 games to tie a Major League record.
Meet The Punisher. 💀#MustC pic.twitter.com/gyXlNZssf5
— MLB (@MLB) August 11, 2019
Three times is a charm
Aquino wasted no time in pulverizing the Cubs and normally reliable starter Kyle Hendricks. He looped a 344-foot home run down the right-field line to lead off the second inning to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead.
The next inning, he went a little farther and a little more toward center with a 385-foot bomb to left. It was another solo shot off Hendricks for a 4-0 advantage.
Then, with the game out of hand at 8-0 in the fourth, he faced reliever Dillon Maples. This time, Aquino went much farther and more toward center with a 107 mph laser that traveled 452 feet and left the Great American Ballpark faithful on their feet.
Aquino gave them a curtain call, then walked and struck out in his final two plate appearances.
Aristides Aquino homers (7): fly ball to LCF (solo)
Hit: 451.89ft💣, 107.39mph, 26.93°🚀
[3rd of game]Pitch: 96.7mph Four-Seam Fastball (RHP Dillon Maples, 2) pic.twitter.com/5hXktr3FXx
— Home Run Tracker (@DingerTracker) August 11, 2019
What’s next?
Aquino was a career .242 hitter in the minor leagues before undergoing a massive swing change upon a promotion to Triple-A. All he did there was hit .299 with 28 home runs in 294 at-bats, almost one for every 10 at-bats.
The Reds, who are still on the fringes of the wild-card race, decided not to wait till September to call up their Punisher.
That was a good decision. Aquino went 0 for 6 in his first two games before homering against the Braves on Aug. 3. He went 3 for 4 with another homer against the Angels on Aug. 6 before this series against the Cubs, in which he’s got five homers and counting over three games.
Aquino is 13 for 28, a .464 average, with seven homers and 13 RBIs. Quite a start.
So who is #AristidesAquino?
25-yr old born in DR, 6’4″, 220 lbs
Career .242 hitter in minors before being promoted to AAA in 2019, hitting 28 HRs in 294 ABs with .299 BA
Is thus far 13-for-28 with 7 HRs in 9G for @Reds
Had 1 ML AB in 2018—struck out
— This Great Game (@ThisGreatGame) August 11, 2019
