Frustration on the base paths

This is not something new with Javier Baez. Going all the way back to his days with the Cubs, Baez has made mistakes on the base paths. This weekend against the White Sox, he again caused an unnecessary out on the bases. In the eighth inning of Saturday’s game, Baez attempted to score on a wild pitch and was a sitting duck. This is not even the first time this has happened against the White Sox this year. On April 9th, he was also thrown out at home trying to score on a wild pitch.

Errors Upon Errors

Javier Baez has not been good defensively. There is really no way to argue that statement. Baez has any many errors as he has walks. His fielding percentage is at .960, which is not a career low. Fans have speculated that Baez could be moved to second base next season, which doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

He Can Hit Now?

Yes, it’s been an ugly year, but Javy Baez is on literal fire right now at the plate. In September so far, Baez is hitting .379 with on OPS over 1,000. He has 22 hits in just 16 games, 7 of which are extra-base knocks. In his last 4 games, Baez has gone an impressive 8-for-12 with a home run on Sunday against the White Sox. While his OPS on the season still sits under .700, he is showing some encouraging signs at the plate for next season.

All-in-All

Javier Baez can be a headache. His defense has been terrible and his baserunning decision-making is bad as well. But he has finally found his footing offensively, and this is a guy with an offensive track record. If we can see Javier Baez hit like this more often in the coming years, along with a potential move to second base, Baez can justify the contract he was given even if it seems like a longshot at this time.

Jon Kloss

Woodward Sports

Photo Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

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By Published On: September 19th, 2022Categories: Detroit Tigers, MLB

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