Valdez Joins Exclusive MLB List After Ninth-Inning Homer

Overview

• Valdez hit a two-run homer on Sunday that made him the fourth player in major-league history with at least 12 home runs and 31 RBIs in his first 31 games.
• He has hit safely in 19 of 22 games, batting .370 with 18 extra-base hits and 27 RBIs over that stretch, and has produced six homers in seven games during the recent run.
• The 22-year-old was signed from the Dominican Republic in 2021, earned a 40-man roster spot after a strong Arizona Fall League showing, debuted late in May and was recalled from Triple-A on June 11 before this breakout.
• Pirates manager Don Kelly and pitcher Paul Skenes praised Valdez’s combination of raw power and disciplined at-bats as a key reason for his immediate impact.
• Baseball writers note the feat is rare but caution that earlier similar hot starts produced mixed long-term results, and pitchers making adjustments will be the clearest test of Valdez’s staying power.