Riding high off of last year’s surprising playoff run, the Detroit Tigers have started the 2025 season red-hot. It’s hard to overlook the production they have gotten from their usual star players including Tarik Skubal and Riley Greene, but most will turn their heads to Javier Baez. Many MLB fans know from his flashy defensive plays at shortstop and his big swing at the plate from his days with the Chicago Cubs coining him the nickname “El Mago”.
Baez debuted with the Cubs in 2014, and was a star from the jump, helping the Cubs win the World Series in 2016. Two years later Baez had a career year, placing second in the National League MVP voting, batting .290, slugging 34 home runs, driving in 111 runs, and making outstanding plays at shortstop. Baez’s production dropped each and every year following his 2018 campaign, culminating in a blockbuster trade on July 30, 2021, to the New York Mets. In New York, he experienced a bit of a resurgence improving almost all of his numbers.
Following the 2021 season, the Tigers had their best record since 2016 and were ready to make a splash in free agency. With a stacked free agency class that year, the Tigers decided to sign Baez for a six-year 140,000 million dollar contract. This move was met with criticism and excitement as it marked a moment the Tigers were ready to win, but Baez had many question marks with his downtick in production.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, the slide in numbers for Baez did not lie. In his 2022 season, he had his lowest batting average in a full season, lowest home run numbers, second lowest RBI numbers, and most errors in the field playing shortstop. Baez became a dark spot in the Tigers lineup, showed in their record, as they finished 66-96. This was 11 games worse than the prior season. With many hoping that Baez would improve in 2023, most knew that his best days were far behind him. In 2023 and 2024, Baez’s home run numbers dropped, batting average dropped, RBI’s dropped and his defensive production dropped. With the fanbase getting up in arms with Baez, on Aug 23, 2024, he was placed on the 10-Day Injured List with Lumbar spine and Hip inflation. Tigers fans viewed this as a success, as it would free up for young players to take his spot including Trey Sweeney and Jace Jung, who were incoming young prospects. The Tigers record on August 23 was 62-66 and fans were hoping they could improve on this without Baez. After this date, they went 24-10 en-route to their first playoff berth since 2014. Many fans thought this was the writing on the wall for Baez, and with the Tigers having true playoff aspirations, they would cut ties with him.
Going into the 2025 season, Baez still remained on the roster, but with no true place for him. With all of the infield being occupied, and given Baez has not played outfield for more than six games in his career, many thought he wouldn’t make the team or have a significant role on it. That was until many of the Tigers’ key players went down with injuries, including third basemen/center fielder Matt Vierling, center fielder Parker Meadows, and outfielder Wenceel Perez. With these key injuries, Baez now was placed as the starting Third Baseman and was expected to occasionally play Center Field.
After a slow first two weeks to the season, playing third base and shortstop, Baez now was placed as the starting center fielder hoping to boost some energy. In his second start against the San Diego Padres, Baez made an over-the-back catch running into the wall, which many considered to be his best defensive moment of his Tigers career. Following this series on Apr 22 to May 11, Baez hit 18-52 which translates to a .352 batting average, hitting three home runs, and driving in 11 runs. Baez was not only hitting this well, but he was providing all-star-level defense in center field, a position he’s never started in before. With much excitement about Baez’s production in the batter’s box and play in center field, this was translating to the Tigers record as they held the best record in the MLB. Going into the May 11 contest against the Boston Red Sox, Baez had a huge amount of hype around him, not from just Tigers fans but the national media as well. In the sixth inning, the Tigers trailed 4-3, Baez stepped up to the plate with two runners on and crushed a three-run home run to left field. This was a pivotal moment in the game giving the Tigers the lead. In extra innings in the same game trailing 9-7, Baez stepped up again with two runners on base. Baez crushed the first pitch into left field, walking the game off and giving the Tigers a win. This marked a pivotal moment for Baez as it was his first walk-off home run in nine years, as well as drawing more eyes into his production.
It’s unknown whether Baez’s production will continue throughout a long baseball season, but so far he has been a main part of the Tigers’ early season success, carrying them to a top record in not only their division, but the MLB.
