Tigers' Javier Baez: Making first-ever start in CF
Rotowire
Baez will start in center field and bat seventh in Monday's game versus the Padres.
Baez has seen action in center field in three games this season with the Tigers, but this will be his first-ever start at any outfield position at the major-league level. He's expected to play the position frequently while Parker Meadows (shoulder) continues to recover, per Chris McCosky of The Detroit News.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Hits bench after six straight starts
Rotowire
Baez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
Baez had started in each of the last six games -- three at shortstop, three at third base -- while going 7-for-21 with two doubles, two walks, two RBI and a run. Though Baez should start consistently against left-handed pitching and see semi-regular playing time against right-handers, Zach McKinstry and Trey Sweeney still appear to be ahead of him on the depth chart at third base and shortstop, respectively.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Tallies three hits in win
Rotowire
Baez went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Sunday's 4-3 win over the White Sox.
Baez is now 6-for-18 this season, and all six hits have come in a pair of three-hit performances. The veteran could use a little more consistency moving forward, though after seeing his average tumble to .184 during the 2024 regular season, the early 2025 results are at least a step in the right direction.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Collects trio of hits
Rotowire
Baez went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI in Monday's 9-6 win versus the Mariners.
Baez drew his first start at the hot corner since 2019 with the Cubs and made the most of his opportunity, producing his first three-hit game since May 18, 2024. The veteran infielder had a rough Grapefruit League, slashing .184/.279/.368 with a 4:9 BB:K across 43 plate appearances, so he will have to continue hitting like this performance to stay in the lineup.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Starting at hot corner
Rotowire
Baez is starting at third base and batting ninth in Monday's game against the Mariners.
Baez started Thursday's season opener at shortstop and he's also seen time at third off the bench in the early going, though this will be his first start at the hot corner. The veteran looks like more of a utility player for the Tigers this season versus a regular option at short, and he could even see time in the outfield after picking up some reps there during spring training. Baez may end up seeing a decent amount of playing time in this new role, though his fantasy outlook remains murky as a bench player.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: May get longer look in center
Rotowire
With the Tigers dealing with a number of outfield injuries, Baez is an option to see more time in center field, including on Opening Day, Adrian Garro of MLB.com reports.
Detroit is currently down Matt Vierling (shoulder), Parker Meadows (arm) and Wenceel Perez (back), all of whom are natural center-field candidates. The Tigers did scoop up veteran Manuel Margot over the weekend, but president of baseball operations Scott Harris said that he views him as more of a corner outfielder, per Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Baez has started to see time in center recently, and he may end up as the default option there, at least in the short term, though utility man Ryan Kreidler is also back in the mix after rejoining the MLB roster. While Baez has struggled in recent seasons, the potential addition of outfield eligibility could give him a small boost in fantasy leagues.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Starting in center Saturday
Rotowire
Baez is starting in center field and batting seventh in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta.
Baez has seen some time at third base this spring, where he hasn't seen regular-season action since 2019, and he'll now try out center, a position he's never played during the regular season in the majors. The Tigers appear to be preparing the veteran for more of a utility role in 2025, with Trey Sweeney in line to serve as the regular shortstop. Baez's already dwindling fantasy value will take a hit if he's not seeing consistent playing time.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Starting at third base Thursday
Rotowire
Baez will start at third base and bat sixth in Thursday's Grapefruit League game versus the Yankees, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Baez hasn't played third base since 2019, when he started there one game. With Matt Vierling (shoulder) out, it's possible Baez sees some action at the hot corner versus lefties. He also remains in the mix for playing time at shortstop.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Feels fully healthy
Rotowire
Baez (hip) said he's been running and swinging at 100 percent recently, Joey Johnston of MLB.com reports.
Baez underwent a right hip labral repair last September and has been ramping up slowly during the winter months. The veteran shortstop made his Grapefruit League debut Friday, and although he went 0-for-2 with a walk as the DH, he said afterward that he felt good. Baez could bounce back some in 2025 if he's fully healthy, but he will likely see a reduced role with the younger Trey Sweeney expected to see a lot of playing time at short.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Set for spring debut Friday
Rotowire
Manager A.J. Hinch said that Baez (hip) will make his Grapefruit League debut Friday against the Blue Jays as the Tigers' designated hitter, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
The hope is that he'll be ready to play the field next week. Baez underwent a right hip labral repair last September and has been a bit behind schedule early on in camp, but he is expected to be ready to go for Opening Day. The veteran infielder is likely in store for a reduced role this season with Trey Sweeney expected to serve as the Tigers' primary shortstop.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Expected to be ready for opener
Rotowire
Baez (hip) is going through full hitting and defensive drills and is expected to be ready for Opening Day, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Baez continues to rehab after he underwent a right hip labral repair in September and will continue a running progression upon his arrival to camp. While the veteran shortstop is expected to be ready for Opening Day, his role on the Tigers is in flux, as Trey Sweeney is in line to serve as the club's primary shortstop.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Begins running program
Rotowire
Baez (hip) has initiated a running progression and is expected to start light defensive drills this week.
Baez is working his way back from the arthroscopic surgery he underwent on his right hip in early September. The 32-year-old is expected to have a role with the Tigers in 2025, but he won't be handed everyday at-bats. Baez will likely ramp up his activity in the coming months and he has previously been described to have a "fighting chance" at being ready to go for Opening Day in late March according to Detroit's president of baseball operations Scott Harris.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Will have role on 2025 club
Rotowire
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said Monday during the team's end-of-season media session that he expects Baez (hip) to participate in spring training and have a "fighting chance" to be ready for Opening Day, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
Baez underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right hip in early September after dealing with a hip/back issue for much of the campaign. He slashed .184/.221/.294 in 2024 and has hit only .221/.262/.347 in his three seasons with the Tigers, but Harris expects the 31-year-old to have a role with the club in 2025. With three years and $73 million remaining on his contract, there wasn't much of a chance that the team was going to cut him loose at this point. Baez shouldn't be guaranteed anything in regards to playing time in 2025, although the hope is that, with better health, he could at least offer a solid glove at shortstop. Trey Sweeney was the Tigers' primary shortstop down the stretch of the regular season and playoffs and could have a leg up over Baez for the starting job there heading into spring training.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: To have season-ending hip surgery
Rotowire
The Tigers transferred Baez (hip) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
Per Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, Baez will undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right hip next week. The veteran shortstop has missed time with hip and back problems this season, although the two injuries seem to be related. The surgery closes the book on another disappointing season for Baez, who finishes with a .516 OPS over 80 games. He is still owed $73 million through 2027. Trey Sweeney and Ryan Kreidler will handle shortstop for Detroit down the stretch.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Moved to injured list
Rotowire
The Tigers placed Baez on the 10-day injured list due to lumbar spine and hip inflammation Friday.
The veteran shortstop battled right hip discomfort earlier in August and he'll now require a stint on the IL with hip and lumbar spine swelling. Baez spent nearly a month on the injured list from June 11 to July 8 due to lumbar spine inflammation as well. It's unclear how long he might be sidelined this time. Ryan Kreidler was recalled from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move, but Trey Sweeney should see the majority of the action at shortstop in Baez's absence.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Could need stint on IL
Rotowire
Baez is undergoing tests for an undisclosed injury and could require a trip to the 10-day injured list, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Baez dealt with a hip issue recently, although it's not clear whether that's what's bothering him now. Ryan Kreidler has joined the Tigers in Chicago for their series against the Cubs and will be added to the roster if Baez gets shut down. The veteran has been sharing the shortstop job with Trey Sweeney lately and hasn't made consecutive starts since Aug. 9-10.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Losing work to Trey Sweeney
Rotowire
Baez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.
Baez donned the Golden Sombrero in Tuesday's 3-1 loss, striking out in all four of his plate appearances, including with a runner on second base and two outs in the ninth inning. He now finds himself on the bench for the third time in five games, as he looks to have moved into a part-time role in the wake of shortstop prospect Trey Sweeney receiving a promotion to the big leagues. Baez owns a career-worst .514 OPS for the season and has turned in a .220/.262/.347 slash line (69 wRC+) since signing a six-year, $140 million contract with Detroit in November 2021.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Provides offense Thursday
Rotowire
Baez went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Mariners.
Baez put Detroit on the board in the eighth inning with his sixth home run of the year. While the six long balls would be his fewest in a season since 2015, the shortstop has gone deep twice in his last three games and five times over his last 16 contests. It's mostly been a lost season for Baez, but this recent power surge could at least prop up his fantasy value during the stretch run if he's able to keep it going.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Managing hip issue
Rotowire
Baez was scratched from the lineup Wednesday against the Mariners due to right hip discomfort, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Baez went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer during Tuesday's contest, and it's unclear when he suffered the injury. The 31-year-old should be considered day-to-day until the team updates his status. Zach McKinstry is starting at shortstop Wednesday with Baez banged up.
... See More... See Less
Tigers' Javier Baez: Scratched Wednesday
Rotowire
Baez was scratched from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners for unspecified reasons.
Baez was scheduled to start at shortstop and bat ninth, but he's now been removed from the starting nine. It's unclear if he's dealing with an injury, but an update should be provided in the near future. Justyn-Henry Malloy will enter the lineup in Baez's place and start in left field, pushing Zach McKinstry to shortstop.
