Tigers' Javier Baez: Finishes down year with two hits
Rotowire
Baez went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Guardians.
It was a nice game for Baez but a disappointing season, as he finishes with a .592 OPS, nine home runs and 59 RBI across 136 games. Excluding the condensed 2020 campaign, it was the first time the shortstop finished with fewer than 10 long balls since 2015. Baez has so far not come close to living up to the six-year, $140 million contract he signed with the Tigers before the 2022 season, though he figures to be a regular again in 2024 and will look to turn things around in Detroit. Baez does have an opt-out in his contract, though it seems financially unwise that he would take it.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: On bench Saturday
Rotowire
Baez is not in the lineup Saturday against the Guardians.
If Baez does not appear in the game Saturday, he will finish September with a .642 OPS and one home run. Andy Ibanez will start at second base, with Zach McKinstry sliding over to shortstop.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Taking seat Thursday
Rotowire
Baez is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.
The Tigers are going with Zack Short at shortstop in the final game of the series versus Kansas City. Baez had been in the lineup for each of the previous three contests.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: On bench Saturday
Rotowire
Baez (back) is not in the lineup Saturday against the Athletics.
Prior to Friday's start, Baez missed three games with back tightness. In his return, he went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored. After a solid game at the plate, the shortstop heads back to the bench. Andy Ibanez will play at second base, with Zach McKinstry sliding over to shortstop.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Two doubles in return
Rotowire
Baez (back) went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored in Friday's 8-2 loss to the Athletics.
Baez sat out three games with back tightness, and he returned with a strong showing. It was just his third multi-hit effort in September, and he's batting a paltry .233 (10-for-43) for the month. Overall, the shortstop has a .220/.268/.324 slash line with nine home runs, 58 RBI, 57 runs scored, 12 stolen bases and 16 doubles through 131 games.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Returns to lineup
Rotowire
Baez (back) is starting at shortstop and batting seventh Friday against Oakland.
Baez has missed Detroit's last three games due to back tightness, but the issue appears to have subsided ahead of Friday's contest. The 30-year-old shortstop is slashing .200/.304/.300 with four RBI since the beginning of September.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Expected back Friday
Rotowire
Baez (back) is expected to rejoin the lineup Friday against the Athletics, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Baez has been out of the lineup for three consecutive games, but he is available off the bench Thursday. His return will likely hurt the playing time of Andy Ibanez.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Remains out with tight back
Rotowire
Baez (back) is out of the lineup again Thursday at Oakland.
Baez missed the final two games of the Tigers' three-game set at Dodger Stadium due to lower-back tightness and remains sidelined for Thursday's series opener against the Athletics. Zach McKinstry will start at shortstop and bat second versus A's right-hander Luis Medina.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Out again with back issue
Rotowire
Baez (back) remains out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Dodgers.
Baez was scratched Tuesday due to lower-back tightness and needs at least a bit more rest and treatment. Zach McKinstry will play shortstop and bat second for the Tigers on Wednesday in Los Angeles.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Scratched with back tightness
Rotowire
Baez was scratched from the Tigers' lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Dodgers due to lower-back tightness, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports..
The Tigers haven't given any details on how severe Baez's injury is, but he should be considered day-to-day going forward. Zack Short will fill in for Baez at shortstop and bat eighth Tuesday.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Collects four RBI
Rotowire
Baez went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, four RBI and two runs scored in Friday's win over the Angels.
Baez clocked a solo homer in the fourth inning before ripping a bases-clearing double in the eighth. He snapped a 16-game homerless drought and produced his first multi-RBI game since Aug. 21. Baez has just two home runs in 29 games since the start of August, slashing .195/.263/.287 during that span. For the year, he owns a .586 OPS with 27 extra-base hits through 511 plate appearances.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Not in lineup Wednesday
Rotowire
Baez is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Reds.
Baez has now started just six of the Tigers' last 13 games and over that stretch he's gone 4-for-21 with a 33.3 percent strikeout rate. Zach McKinstry is playing shortstop and leading off Wednesday.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Bound for bench
Rotowire
Baez will sit Saturday against the White Sox.
Baez has seemingly played himself out of an everyday role down the stretch, as he finds himself on the bench for the third time in the last six games. He hasn't hit like anything close to an everyday player this season, slashing .221/.267/.319. Zack Short will serve as the shortstop Saturday.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Out of Wednesday's lineup
Rotowire
Baez is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees.
Baez missed some time last week due to general soreness and is sitting Wednesday for the second time in four games since he rejoined the lineup Saturday. Zack Short will receive another start at shortstop in the veteran's place.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Hits bench Sunday
Rotowire
Baez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox.
While dealing with general soreness, Baez sat out three straight games before he returned to the lineup for Saturday's 10-0 win, during which he went 0-for-3 with a walk. The Tigers haven't indicated that Baez suffered a setback in his return, so his move to the bench Sunday may be for maintenance purposes more than anything else. Zack Short will step in for Baez at shortstop.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Back in action Saturday
Rotowire
Baez (general soreness) is starting at shortstop and batting eighth Saturday against the White Sox.
An illness and general soreness have led to Baez missing five games over the past couple weeks, but he is in the starting nine Saturday after missing three games in a row. He hit .175 with one home run, seven runs, six RBI and one steal in 20 August games.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Out again Friday
Rotowire
Baez (undisclosed) remains out of the lineup Friday versus the White Sox.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters Thursday that Baez was "beat up a little bit," and now the 30-year-old shortstop is sitting for a third consecutive game. Zack Short will fill in and bat ninth at Chicago.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Sitting out due to soreness
Rotowire
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Baez is not in the lineup for the second straight game Thursday because "he's beat up a little bit and not feeling 100 percent," Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
Hinch didn't specify what exactly Baez is dealing with, but it's probably safe to say he's battling some general soreness but should be ready to return to the lineup over the weekend. Zach McKinstry is playing shortstop for Detroit on Thursday versus the Yankees.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Out of lineup again
Rotowire
Baez is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Yankees.
Baez isn't dealing with any known injury, but he'll hit the bench for a second straight game after he had started each of the previous five contests. Zack Short will handle shortstop for the Tigers.
