Javier Baez Looks To Finally Be Hitting His Stride -

Embed from Getty Images

You had to figure it would happen at some point. Although not a career .300 hitter, Javier Baez was bound to begin hitting this season. His streakiness has long been a part of the equation, but never for quite as prolonged as his struggles to begin this season.

Good Major League hitters don’t usually forget how to hit. In the past eight games, Baez has collected 12 hits including seven of those for extra bases, four home runs, and nine RBIs. The biggest of those home runs was his grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks that provided most of the Tigers’ offense that day. It is still to be seen whether or not the Tigers can compete for a playoff spot. But if they do end up challenging for one, it will be on the back of this stretch of games where Javier Baez looks to finally be hitting his stride.

Around Full Press Coverage

NFL OPINION: Chicago Bears: New-Look Defense May Bring Back The Monsters

NFL: 3 Is Key Number For Broncos Quarterback Russell Wilson

NFL: Have the Green Bay Packers Assembled a Super Bowl Defense?

Ep 119: Patrick Mahomes' Top 5 List
by Full Press Coverage on May 27, 2023 at 7:49 pm

MORE PODCASTS From FPC

FULL PRESS BETS: Odds Favor The Avalanche To Repeat As Stanley Cup Champions

NHL: Colorado Avalanche Long Journey Back To The Stanley Cup

PODCAST: Full Press NFL Podcast Ep 42: Deebo Samuel Requests Trade; Possible Landing Spots

What Can We Attribute This Return To Form To?

Javier Baez has always been known as a free-swinging type of player. He is aggressive in the batter’s box and that leads to a few more swings and misses than his managers would probably want. That has been exacerbated through the first three months of this season. The one pitch that has continued to be a problem for Baez is the slider low and away. He has consistently chased that pitch and has led to the highest whiff rate of his career. The Tigers’ record in games where he doesn’t strike out is 10-11. In games where he strikes out two or more times, they are just 5-10. While a single player’s strikeout stats aren’t enough data to determine the projection of a team’s success, it does show that Detroit is a better team when Baez doesn’t strike out.

Baez has recorded a walk in just nine games so far this season. The Tigers hold a record of 5-4 in those games. It may be too simple to put it as when Javy goes the team goes, but in small sample sizes, there is some truth to that statement. Reporters have often asked Baez about his propensity for swinging at what seem to be unhittable pitches. Baez handles the questions with class, but you can see his disappointment at times. In interviews, he has gotten frustrated at not knowing why it keeps happening but is determined to fix that issue.

The Tigers are currently 12.5 games back in the division and 12 games back in the Wild Card. Those aren’t necessarily insurmountable, but certainly unlike to result in a playoff berth. Baez is in just the first season of his six-year. $140,000,000 deal. He is a long-term part of the Tigers’ plan. Even if his personal turnaround doesn’t change the outcome of this season, it will put the team in a better place to succeed in the following years. Baez just needs to keep hitting his stride, and maybe the Tigers will hit theirs.