Jackson Chourio is officially a star, and he has been for quite some time now.
The 20-year-old from Venezuela joined an exclusive club in Game Two of the Wild Card Series against the New York Mets with only one other member: Babe Ruth.
With his eighth inning home run, Chourio became the second player ever, joining Ruth, to hit two game-tying home runs in the same postseason game. Chourio led off the game for Milwaukee with a homer to tie the game at 1-1.
Ruth achieved the feat in Game Four of the 1928 World Series, when his three homers powered the New York Yankees to a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Chourio joined Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays as the only rookie to ever hit two game-tying or go-ahead home runs in a postseason game.
When the Milwaukee Brewers signed Chourio to his eight-year, $82 million deal, he was just 19 with no big league experience. He made the opening day roster, and despite some struggles, the Brewers never sent him down to Triple-A.
“I saw him a couple of years ago in winter ball. I knew we were in trouble,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said before Game Two. “This was before they gave him the contract. Right away I saw him and was like, ‘Who is this kid?’ Then sure enough he gets the contract. I wasn’t surprised he was on the opening day lineup and the season that he had. He’s just a special kid. He’s just a special player.”
Jackson Chourio was the first batter the Mets faced when the season began. Now, he is leading the charge in the Brewers trying to end the Mets’ season.
Photo: Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during Game 2 of the Wild Card Series presented by T-Mobile 5G Home Internet between the New York Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
