White Sox’s Seby Zavala becomes first to hit first 3 home runs in same game
Chicago White Sox catcher Seby Zavala became the first player in the history of the American and National Leagues to hit his first three home runs in the same game Saturday against the Cleveland Indians.
Zavala, 27, hit homers in the third, fourth and seventh innings to drive in six runs. Zavala’s second home run was a grand slam to put the White Sox ahead 6-1. He singled in the eighth inning to make it a 4-for-4 night. Chicago lost to Cleveland 12-11.
"I think I would have to go all the way back to high school," Zavala said when asked when was the last time he hit three home runs in a game. "That was a long, long time ago."
Zavala entered Saturday with a .125 average and five hits in 40 career at-bats in the majors since 2019. Zavala was called up from Triple-A Charlotte in early July for depth due to a knee injury to starting catcher Yasmani Grandal.
"I always knew I could swing it," Zavala said. "But going through a rough patch for a couple of months. I knew if I kept working something would click and I feel pretty good at the plate.
"Even this past week, I didn’t do much at the plate but I’ve been feeling pretty good and I was able to get some pitches today and not miss them."
(Photo: Paul Beaty / Associated Press)
Who is Seby Zavala?
James Fegan, White Sox beat writer: Zavala is a no-nonsense, gravel-voiced, 2015 12th-round draft pick from Fort Hood, Texas, whom the White Sox have been stashing in the minors for most of his seven-year pro career. His calling card is unselfish defensive prowess, and he is someone who can call a game in an emergency, provided you're willing to tolerate a lack of offense.
Grandal's knee injury provided that emergency for the Sox, and Zavala has been earning his keep with pitch-framing and game-planning, per usual. But he's always had raw power, and Saturday night saw him suddenly tap into all of it. For someone who has been unheralded and overlooked his whole career, it's a truly rare moment in the spotlight.
Seby Zavala’s first 3 homers of his career, all in the same game.
Nobody has EVER done that in AL/NL history. 🤯
— MLB (@MLB) August 1, 2021
