Javier Baez is and will continue to be a Detroit Tiger. Some fans will obviously not like this statement, but it is the truth. Baez is an imperfect player. But do his flaws outweigh his strengths? Don’t look now, but Javier Baez is on fire offensively.
Frustration on the base paths
This is not something new with Javier Baez. Going all the way back to his days with the Cubs, Baez has made mistakes on the base paths. This weekend against the White Sox, he again caused an unnecessary out on the bases. In the eighth inning of Saturday’s game, Baez attempted to score on a wild pitch and was a sitting duck. This is not even the first time this has happened against the White Sox this year. On April 9th, he was also thrown out at home trying to score on a wild pitch.
Javier Baez is just a magician out there! What an incredible base-running play by him!
EL MAGO!
— Vinnie Parise (@VinnieParise) September 17, 2022
Errors Upon Errors
Javier Baez has not been good defensively. There is really no way to argue that statement. Baez has any many errors as he has walks. His fielding percentage is at .960, which is not a career low. Fans have speculated that Baez could be moved to second base next season, which doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
Javier Báez entered today’s game with 24 walks and 24 errors. He drew a walk in the third inning and made an error in the sixth inning. With 18 games remaining: 25 walks, 25 errors.
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) September 17, 2022
He Can Hit Now?
Yes, it’s been an ugly year, but Javy Baez is on literal fire right now at the plate. In September so far, Baez is hitting .379 with on OPS over 1,000. He has 22 hits in just 16 games, 7 of which are extra-base knocks. In his last 4 games, Baez has gone an impressive 8-for-12 with a home run on Sunday against the White Sox. While his OPS on the season still sits under .700, he is showing some encouraging signs at the plate for next season.
Javier Báez continues to do damage, hitting his team-leading 14th home run of the season! #DetroitRoots@javy23baez pic.twitter.com/s7WOuxqTBB
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) September 18, 2022
All-in-All
Javier Baez can be a headache. His defense has been terrible and his baserunning decision-making is bad as well. But he has finally found his footing offensively, and this is a guy with an offensive track record. If we can see Javier Baez hit like this more often in the coming years, along with a potential move to second base, Baez can justify the contract he was given even if it seems like a longshot at this time.
Jon Kloss
Woodward Sports
Photo Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
