Blue Jays rookie Davis Schneider hits home run in first MLB at-bat: 'I didn’t think this day was possible'

Toronto Blue Jays rookie Davis Schneider's first MLB at-bat was one to remember, as the 24-year-old slugged a solo home run over Fenway Park's Green Monster in the second inning of Friday's game against the Boston Red Sox.

Schneider smoked a James Paxton offering to deep left field to extend Toronto's lead to 3-0 at that point in the game. The Blue Jays ended up defeating the Red Sox 7-3.

He became the fourth Blue Jay to go deep in his first at-bat, per Sportsnet Stats, joining Al Woods (1977), Junior Felix (1989), and J.P. Arencibia (2010).

Schneider finished the game 2-for-5, adding an infield single in the top of the seventh.

“I didn’t think this day was possible,” Schneider said after the game, via MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. “You wish it and you think it’ll come true, but I never really thought it would happen. I just wanted to get a quality at-bat in my first at-bat. I didn’t expect anything like that to happen.”

The Blue Jays called up Schneider from the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Friday in an attempt to kickstart an offence that has struggled to generate runs, especially with All-Star Bo Bichette sidelined with a knee injury. Toronto has laboured against left-handed pitching in 2023, so Schneider's right-handed power bat is a welcome addition.

Schneider hit seventh in Friday's lineup and got the start at second base. He is capable of bouncing around the diamond and has seen action at first, second and third base, as well as both corner outfield spots this year with the Bisons.

The New Jersey native is one of the Blue Jays' best development stories, as he was selected in the 28th round of the 2017 draft. He has methodically worked his way through Toronto's farm system and was enjoying a terrific offensive season at triple-A, hitting .275 with a .969 OPS through 87 games. His 21 home runs entering play on Friday were the most of anyone at any level of the Blue Jays organization.

“I’m going to tell my kids about that, forever,” Toronto starter Alek Manoah said of Schneider's home run. “I’m super happy for him.”