Esmerlyn Valdez providing Pirates with progressive offensive spark

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Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez wasted little time creating a positive first impression for the Pittsburgh Pirates' partisans.

In his initial PNC Park plate appearance May 26, Valdez connected on a two-run home run, capping a five-run first inning. A day earlier at Rogers Centre, the 22-year-old outfielder clubbed his first MLB homer, notching his career hit.

In the lineup recently, in part, to help replace the production of injured Oneil Cruz, Valdez continues to impress.

Unloading on a 78-mph knuckle curve from Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola on Monday, Valdez drilled the pitch 411 feet for his sixth homer in 16 career games. The two-run, fourth-inning shot pulled the late-starting Pirates to within 5-2 and sparked a rally. It also marked the fourth consecutive game Valdez has homered, becoming the youngest player in franchise history to accomplish the feat.

The Pirates capped the comeback with an 11-7 victory at Citizens Bank Park. Batting fifth, Valdez went 2-for-3 with two walks, runs scored and RBI, improving his batting average to .289.

Since 1900, Valdez became the sixth player to connect on at least four homers after appearing in his 16 MLB games. Here is the list:

Season, Player

1968, Graig Nettles
2011, Jason Kipnis
2016, Trevor Story
2019, Aristides Aquino
2020, Bobby Dalbec (five straight games)

Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez playing beyond age, experience

After watching Valdez blast a 461-foot homer Sunday, Reds relief pitcher Pierce Johnson pointed and jawed in the direction of the rookie as he rounded first base. In the Statcast era, Valdez's blast developed into the longest homer hit by a rookie at PNC Park, besting Aaron Judge's 457-footer in 2017.

Valdez clubbed 26 homers in 123 games between Single-A and Double-A, improving his prospect status, despite a scouting report that read the right-handed hitter had trouble making contact with upper-tier fastballs. He made adjustments.

Over his last six games, entering Monday, Valdez has handled just about any pitch, slashing .500/.526/1.167.

After opening his big league career with a .083 batting average through 10 games, Valdez wasted little time making up for his meandering start.