Javier Baez
31-Year-Old
Out
Injury Hip
Est. Return 2/1/2025
2024 Stats
AVG
.184
HR
6
RBI
37
R
25
SB
8
Rest-of-Season Projections
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Baez's time in Detroit has mostly been a disaster so far. The shortstop signed a six-year, $140 million contract with the Tigers before the 2022 season and has proceeded to struggle each of the last two years. After posting a .671 OPS in 2022, he bottomed out with a .592 OPS last year, which was his worst outside of the .551 OPS he posted as a 21-year-old rookie in 2014. By comparison, Baez averaged a .783 OPS across eight seasons before coming over to Detroit. Not surprisingly, his counting stats were down in 2023 as well, as he recorded only nine home runs and 59 RBI across 136 games. Baez lowered his strikeout rate a little bit, from 24.9% to 22.9%, though he continued to rarely take walks and mostly made weak contact on his swings. Now entering his age-31 season, Baez clearly looks like a player on the decline. Some fantasy managers will likely roll the dice given his past performance, though there is nothing in his recent profile to suggest a turnaround is coming anytime soon. Read Past Outlooks
Will have role on 2025 club
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.
ANALYSIS
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.
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.
Batting Stats
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2021
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Minor League Game Log
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
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38
10
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16
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Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2022
+18%
OPS vs LHP
2024
+28%
OPS vs RHP
OPS | PA | HR | RBI | AVG | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2022vs Left | .687 | 349 | 9 | 46 | .247 | ||||
Since 2022vs Right | .584 | 1076 | 23 | 117 | .212 | ||||
2024vs Left | .423 | 65 | 1 | 8 | .159 | ||||
2024vs Right | .543 | 224 | 5 | 29 | .191 | ||||
2023vs Left | .659 | 140 | 3 | 14 | .232 | ||||
2023vs Right | .571 | 406 | 6 | 45 | .218 | ||||
2022vs Left | .834 | 144 | 5 | 24 | .301 | ||||
2022vs Right | .618 | 446 | 12 | 43 | .217 | ||||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2022
+18%
OPS on Road
2024
+5%
OPS at Home
OPS | PA | HR | RBI | AVG | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2022Home | .556 | 682 | 15 | 72 | .202 | ||||
Since 2022Away | .658 | 743 | 17 | 91 | .238 | ||||
2024Home | .530 | 140 | 5 | 16 | .162 | ||||
2024Away | .503 | 149 | 1 | 21 | .204 | ||||
2023Home | .523 | 267 | 3 | 30 | .205 | ||||
2023Away | .661 | 279 | 6 | 29 | .238 | ||||
2022Home | .603 | 275 | 7 | 26 | .220 | ||||
2022Away | .729 | 315 | 10 | 41 | .253 | ||||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Stat Review
How does Javier Baez compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
BB/K
0.17BB Rate
4.2%K Rate
23.9%BABIP
.220ISO
.110AVG
.184OBP
.221SLG
.294OPS
.516wOBA
.227Exit Velocity
88.3 mphHard Hit Rate
27.7%Barrels/PA
5.5%Expected BA
.222Expected SLG
.345Sprint Speed
23.2 ft/secGround Ball %
46.6%Line Drive %
18.4%Fly Ball %
35.0%Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
Games By Position
Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
Everyone remembers the infamous ceremonial first pitch by 50-Cent years ago, yes? Baez absolutely would have swung at that pitch in 2022. The first year Tiger led the league with a 49% out of zone swing rate last season chasing anything and everything thrown toward home plate and only Luke Voit had a worse swinging strike rate baseball last season. Perhaps the pressures of a big free agent in a new home fell upon him as this was easily the worst season of his career as he struggled to adjust to the spaciousness of Comerica Park after so many years in the Friendly Comfines in Chicago as he hit .220 with 7 homers at home compared to .253 with 10 homers on the road this past season. Despite his lack of selectiveness, he did surprisingly well with runners in scoring position hitting .296 with a .496 slugging percentage which allowed him to drive in 47 of his 67 RBIs on the season.However, a .212 average with a .260 OBP with the bases empty, which they often were in Detroit, impacted his abilities to score runs and steal bases. The second year rebound many free agents have seen should come into play here with Baez as he reduces his impulse to swing his way out of his struggles. He has never been the most disciplined hitter, but 2022 was as bad as we have ever seen from him and not the new reality.
More Fantasy News
To have season-ending hip surgery
The Tigers transferred Baez (hip) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
ANALYSIS
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Moved to injured list
The Tigers placed Baez on the 10-day injured list Friday due to lumbar spine and hip inflammation.
ANALYSIS
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Could need stint on IL
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.
ANALYSIS
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Losing work to Trey Sweeney
Baez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.
ANALYSIS
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Provides offense Thursday
Baez went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Mariners.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Won't get benched
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Thursday that Baez is "going to play, a lot, " per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press.
ANALYSIS
The veteran shortstop's third year in Detroit could end up being his worst, as he has a .203/.230/.280 slash line through 41 contests. Baez has started 39 of Detroit's 48 games, and the club is determined to get him going offensively. The 31-year-old has three years and $73 million remaining on his deal after 2024, and it'll likely be a while before the Tigers are comfortable eating such a significant chunk of salary.
The veteran shortstop's third year in Detroit could end up being his worst, as he has a .203/.230/.280 slash line through 41 contests. Baez has started 39 of Detroit's 48 games, and the club is determined to get him going offensively. The 31-year-old has three years and $73 million remaining on his deal after 2024, and it'll likely be a while before the Tigers are comfortable eating such a significant chunk of salary.