The Detroit Tigers are in the middle of one of the best regular seasons in franchise history. One of the major contributors to the Tigers getting to such a point is versatile infielder and outfielder Javier Baez.
And on Wednesday, Major League Baseball made an announcement for Baez that’s incredible news for the Tigers, and Baez especially. MLB announced that Baez will be one of the three starting outfielders for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.
2018: Starting NL 2B
2019: Starting NL SS
2025: Starting AL OFThe Javy Báez comeback tour is making a stop at the All-Star Game! pic.twitter.com/dmv5OG0sL8
— MLB (@MLB) July 2, 2025
This will be Baez’s third All-Star game, and it is his first since 2019. What makes this All-Star nod especially incredible is that he’s a starter in the outfield. Back in 2018, he was a second baseman, and in 2019, a shortstop.
Baez has made an incredible comeback from looking like a complete dud to a starter in the All-Star game. Baez is the first player to start the All-Star game as both a shortstop and an outfielder in his career, according to MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
Langs also brought up that Baez joins Pete Rose, Harmon Killebrew, and Albert Pujols as the only players to reach the All-Star game at three different positions in their careers.
An improbable season from Baez has made MLB history in two different ways. Based on what he’s done on the field, he’s deserving of this placement. This season, he has 68 hits, 38 runs scored, 13 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, and 36 RBIs.
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He’s hitting .285, the highest in his Tigers career. His .323 on-base percentage is also the highest he’s had in a season since 2018. Baez also has had his best slugging season since coming to Detroit, as he has a .460 slugging percentage through the first half of the year.
Baez has been rotating all around the Tigers on the field, as he’s slotted in at second base, third base, shortstop, and center field. Of the positions he’s played, center field has been the position Baez has played the most at, logging 33 games at the position.
While there is no spot for a utility man on the All-Star roster, Baez most certainly fits the bill. But instead of waiting to be a bench player, Baez earned a starting spot, an incredible accomplishment for Baez amid his resurgent 2025 season.
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