Xavier Edwards and His Magical Night

It’s amazing to me that some things that should get more attention are overlooked. Take triples. To me, the triple is is the most exciting play in baseball. It is also by far, the rarest. In 2023, Bobby Witt Jr led all of baseball with a whopping 11 three baggers. Witt and Corbin Carroll (10) were the only two players to have double digits in triples last season. By contrast, 243 players connected for ten home runs or more in 2023. One would think that because of the rarity and excitement of the triple, we would see more highlights of this special play. The home run is glamour but the triple is the heart and soul of excitement.

Xavier Edwards of the Miami Marlins had three triples Friday night, leading his team to a 15-5 drubbing over the Toronto Blue Jays. Edwards is the first player to have three triples in one game since Yasiel Puig did it on July 25, 2014. Edwards is having a really good season for the Marlins, hitting .327 in 257 at bats and is tied for 16th in all of baseball with 31 stolen bases. The 25-year old shortstop is receiving his first extended Major League playing experience and is a building block for the Marlins who are once again starting over at the bottom of the National League East. 2024 is showing us that Xavier Edwards is here to stay and will be providing more excitement for us. After all, he plays in the same division as the Phillies and Mets so we will be seeing a lot more of him in the coming years.

I don’t know what kind of career Xavier Edwards is going to have. It is starting out well. His historic night should be more celebrated. The highlights on MLB’s Quick Pitch certainly didn’t help. We did not hear the call of his second triple which took place in the 4th inning. You can bet if it was a three home run outing all three would have been viewed, complete with the Marlins’ broadcast calls on each shot. There have been less than 50 players that have had three triples in a single game. There have been literally hundreds of times a player has hit three home runs in a game. Give it up for Xavier Edwards as he entered one of the most exclusive clubs in baseball history.

Author: Tom Lynch

Family is everything to me. Baseball is a close second. What better way to combine my two favorite passions than to write about them! My three children each have a different baseball team, hence the title, "Three Unassisted". I write about not only my thoughts but also the musings of Ryan (Yankees), Caitlyn (Phillies) and Matthew (Mets). I may have grown up a Yankees fan but since family is greater than ball, I also root for the Phillies and Mets. I love talking about my kids. I love talking about baseball. That lethal combination will keep you coming back for more. Happy reading! View all posts by Tom Lynch