MLB All-Star break: A look at Josh Palacios’ first half numbers

The final “first half look” highlights Josh Palacios, who is having the best season of his professional career in Pittsburgh.

Major League Baseball returns to action following a four-day break on Friday. Leading up to the conclusion of the MLB All-Star break, Auburn Wire has taken a look at how each active former Tiger has performed during the first half of the 2023 season.

Next up is Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder [autotag]Josh Palacios[/autotag].

Palacios played just one season for Auburn, transferring to the Plains after spending time at San Jacinto College. In 2016, Palacios hit .385 with 55 hits, five home runs, and 23 RBI in 34 games. He fielded at a .957 clip and committed just three errors.

He would go on to be drafted No. 132 overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016, and he would make his debut with the franchise in 2021. Outside of playing for the Blue Jays, Palacios spent the 2022 season with the Washington Nationals before signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the 2023 season.

Palacios has gotten comfortable in Pittsburgh, as he has already smashed several personal records in just 39 games.

Here’s a look at Palacios’ first half numbers with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Watch: Edouard Julien hits first big league bomb

The former Auburn slugger accomplished the feat in just his second MLB game.

Auburn baseball alumni [autotag]Edouard Julien[/autotag] accomplished the important milestone of hitting his first major league home run. Julien made his MLB debut Wednesday for the Minnesota Twins and hit his first home run against the New York Yankees in his second game at the Major League level.

Additionally, Julien’s first hit at the Major League level came earlier in the inning.

The infielder hit .266/.393/.501 and had 27 home runs and 126 RBIs during his time on the Plains. Julien is the 58th former Tiger to appear on the big league scene and the seventh Auburn alumn to be called up since 2020. The others include [autotag]Casey Mize[/autotag], [autotag]Ben Braymer[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Palacios[/autotag], [autotag]Keegan Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Gabe Klobosits[/autotag], and [autotag]Davis Daniel[/autotag].

Per OptsStats, Julien is the fourth player since 1974 to get their first big league hit and home run in the same inning.

Julien’s bat is expected to be a big part of the Twins’ lineup for years to come.

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Auburn baseball: Five former Tigers set for MLB postseason

Five former Auburn players in Garrett Cooper, Grant Dayton, Josh Donaldson, Josh Palacios and David Ross are one step closer to winning the World Series after making the MLB postseason.

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Five former Auburn players in Garrett Cooper, Grant Dayton, Josh Donaldson, Josh Palacios and David Ross are one step closer to winning the World Series after making the MLB postseason.

Dayton recently won his second straight NL East championship with the Atlanta Braves, who are set to open postseason play against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. Dayton turned in a career year with the Braves, going 2-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 18 appearances.

Cooper and the Miami Marlins, making the team’s first postseason appearance since 2003, will face off with Ross and the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs Wednesday at 1 p.m. on ABC. Cooper hit .283 with six home runs and 20 RBI in 34 games and is set to make his postseason debut.

Ross led the Cubs to the organization’s first NL Central title since 2017 in his first season as the manager.

Donaldson and the AL Central champion Minnesota Twins kick off the postseason by taking on the Houston Astros Tuesday at 1 p.m. on ABC. Donaldson is not on the Twins’ Wild Card roster due to injury but is a member of the team’s taxi squad.

Palacios and the Toronto Blue Jays take on the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday at 4 p.m. on TBS. Palacios, who was added to Toronto’s taxi squad Sept. 17, is not included on Toronto’s Wild Card roster but is a part of the team’s postseason player pool.