It has been a roller coaster ride for Javier Báez in the MLB, who will reach 10 years of service time Tuesday night.
The Detroit Tigers’ former full-time shortstop has reinvented himself in 2025 and is providing immense value as a utility defender. When Báez joined the Tigers in 2022, he saw 1,122 and 2/3 innings at shortstop, 1,102 and 1/3 innings the next year, and solely played the six over his 80 games in 2024.
However, Báez has seen a majority of time in center field (259 and 2/3 innings), while also playing third base (124 and 1/3) and shortstop (107 and 1/3).
He had never played center field before, but he looks surprisingly good roaming the outfield and demonstrating his solid arm strength.
Báez dealt with lower back and hip inflammation last summer and required hip surgery in August. Perhaps the new defensive responsibilities have switched his mindset, or he just needed to get healthy.
Regardless, Báez finally looks closer to the 2018-20 version of himself, when he earned consecutive All-Star nods (2018-19), a second-place National League MVP finish (2018), a Silver Slugger (2018), and a Gold Glove (2020) for the Chicago Cubs.
Detroit fans had longed for that type of production from Báez, and 2025 has settled those worries. The 32-year-old has a .280 batting average, a .756 OPS, a 113 OPS+, 7 home runs, and 33 RBIs, but still struggles with plate discipline as evidenced by an 8:48 BB:K ratio.
Báez’s milestone also comes with some perks. He is now eligible for the MLB’s pension plan and will receive those benefits for the rest of his life.
Congratulations to Báez, and hopefully for him and the Tigers, he can continue this impressive campaign.
