Yoenis Cespedes Rakes Three Homers in 14-4 Mets Win; Christian Vazquez Helps Red Sox Hammer O's

Players of the Day for Tuesday, April 11, 2017

American League

With the departure of Big Papi David Ortiz, there were a few question marks for the Boston Red Sox entering the 2017 season.

Vazquez: 4-for-4

Thus far, with a 4-3 record after bombing the Orioles, 8-1, the Sox appear to be on a fair scoring pace, averaging 4.28 runs per game.

To the end of scoring runs, catcher Christian Vazquez made his mark from the bottom of the lineup, going 4-for-4 with a triple and three singles, scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs.

Vazquez, now 5-for-5 this season is still batting 1.000, making the Red Sox all the more content with their call-up.

Baltimore, which opened with four straight wins, has dropped two in a row and will try to stem the tide as they complete their 2-day stay in Boston on Wednesday. Game time at Fenway Park is 7:10 pm ET.

National League

Cespedes, 3 HR

When the Mets acquired outfielder Yoenis Cespedes from Detroit (via Oakland, then Boston) in 2015, they knew they were getting a power hitter with plenty of potential. How great that potential might someday become, and how quickly it would be manifested were unknown, but it's probably safe to say the New York Mets' front office is pretty well assured they made a proper deal.

On Tuesday, some of Cespedes' magic was on display at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia, as the Mets cranked out seven homers in a 14-4 rout of the home-standing Phillies.

Cespedes accounted for three of the fence-clearing blasts himself, going yard in the first, fourth and fifth innings on a 4-for-6 night including a double, five RBI and three runs.

The barrage of long balls were instrumental for the Mets to keep pace with the Washington Nationals in the NL East. Both teams stand at 5-3, tied for first place. The Nationals continued their pounding of the Cardinals, with an 8-3 win.

Philadelphia dropped to 3-5, two games off the pace.

Yet to realize his full potential, Cespedes, who began his major league career in 2012, hit 35 homers in 2015 - 18 for the Tigers and 17 for the Mets - and 31 last season in his first full campaign in New York. So far in 2017, he's hit four, but one gets the distinct feeling that the 31-year old emigrant from Cuba is just getting started.