It's that week where kids go back to school (if they haven't already), and every year brings some new students to the class. With assistance from Baseball Reference and the Elias Sports Bureau, let's meet a few of baseball's freshmen.
After four years in independent ball, Stephen Cardullo got an early birthday present last weekend when he was called up by the Colorado Rockies. Thanks to a rainout, there was a doubleheader on his actual birthday Wednesday, and he homered in both games. The second longball was a grand slam, making him the first player to hit two home runs on his birthday, with one of them being a slam, since Mike Sweeney in 2004. More amazingly, Cardullo became the first player in over 75 years to hit a birthday homer within his first four major-league games. Morrie Aderholt made his debut with the Washington Senators on Sept. 13, 1939, his 24th birthday, and went 2-for-3 with a solo shot.
JaCoby Jones had a single and a go-ahead double for the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, and added two more doubles in his second game Wednesday. He's the first Tiger to have two hits and two RBIs in his debut since catcher Hank Riebe in 1942. He's also the first Tiger in the live-ball era to connect for three doubles in his first two games (last in majors: Corey Dickerson, 2013).
Pat Venditte isn't completely new to our class, but he did briefly transfer to Canada before returning this week with the Seattle Mariners. The Texas Rangers selected Ryan Rua and Rougned Odor to welcome him back; both homered Wednesday, but the oddity is that Rua's came off the switch-pitcher's left arm, and Odor's off his right. Lefty/righty matchups weren't well-tracked in the 19th century, so we can't say for certain that he's the first pitcher ever to give up homers with both arms in a game. However, the only other possibility we found was Larry Corcoran of the Chicago White Stockings (now the Cubs), on June 16, 1884. Corcoran had a swollen finger on his pitching hand, so he tried alternating arms to alleviate the pain. It didn't work; he gave up homers to Hall of Famers Deacon White (a left-handed hitter) and Jim O'Rourke (a righty) before giving up and playing shortstop instead.
Angels catcher Juan Graterol entered Friday's game, and his MLB career, as a defensive replacement. An inning later, he delivered an RBI double and then scored a run himself, though a late rally fell short. Still he became just the second player in Angels history with a double, a run scored, and an RBI in his major-league debut. The other was ESPN's own Eduardo Pérez, who doubled and homered against the Athletics on July 27, 1993.
More from this week:
Yankees, Tuesday-Wednesday: First time winning back-to-back games in extra innings by same score since May 24-25, 1968 (1-0 over White Sox).
Curtis Granderson, Tuesday: Third player in Mets history to homer twice in a game he didn't start, joining Scott Hairston (2011) and "Hawk" Taylor (1964).
Jason Kipnis, Monday: First 1-0 extra-inning walk-off win for Indians since July 23, 1992 (Carlos Baerga sacrifice fly versus Royals).
Carlos Martínez, Monday: First Cardinals pitcher to strike out 13 and not get a win since Bob Gibson's complete-game loss to Giants on Aug. 30, 1972.
White Sox/Twins, Saturday: Fifth game this season where both teams hit leadoff homers. Only second such game ever played in Minneapolis (also 2006).