Francisco Arcia becomes first in MLB history with 10 RBI in first two games after spending 12 years in the Minors.
Francisco Arcia spent 12 years waiting for his chance in the big leagues. Now he is making up for lost time.
Arcia, the 28-year-old catcher for the Los Angeles Angels, drove in six runs in the Angels’ 11-5 victory against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. Two days earlier, making his major league debut against the Chicago White Sox, he drove in four runs. That makes him the first player in MLB history to drive in 10 runs in his first two games.
Joe Cunningham of the St. Louis Cardinals had nine RBI in his first two games in 1954. No one has ever done it in their first three games, either.
After hitting his first career home run Thursday, a three-run shot off Juan Minaya that was also his first hit, on Saturday Arcia had a RBI double in the second inning off fellow Venezuelan Felix Hernandez. He followed that with a three-run home run off Casey Lawrence in the third, then drove in two more runs with a double in the fifth. He is the first player in Angels history to homer in his first two career games.
Arcia was still in disbelief after the game.
“Still the same dream. I can’t believe it,” he said. “I feel proud. All the work I put in my career, it’s a dream come true. I feel great. I feel amazing.”
“You couldn’t feel happier for someone whose done what Frankie has done,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. “Grinding in the minor leagues, getting this opportunity and doing something like he’s done in the first two days, that’s incredible.”
Arcia’s professional career began as a 17-year-old in 2007, when he was a member of the New York Yankees organization. He spent 2016 in the Miami Marlins organization before joining the Angels minor league system last season. He played 584 games in the minors over those 12 seasons.
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His chance in the majors came after the Angels traded catcher Martin Maldonado to the Houston Astros on Thursday. Finally, after more than a decade of waiting, Arcia got the call he had long waited for.
After his start, it was well worth the wait.