It was a difficult Tuesday night for the good people at WEEI. Javier Baez stole the show, even if Kristian Campbell’s home run at the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Boston Red Sox a two-run lead. This explosion will now mostly be forgotten by national commentators. With a walk-off home run in Motown, Baez placed an exclamation point to coverage of his comeback season, which is now beginning to get the attention it deserves.
The Red Sox’s 14-2 loss in the opening game of this series undoubtedly didn’t help. The outcome wasn’t nice, as the Red Sox commentators mistakenly believed Boston wouldn’t give up their advantage. You may listen to it for yourself.
Unfortunately, I am not joking, Will Flemming! This season, El Mago has been all the Tigers could have hoped for and more.
Javy Baez comeback story is more than the Tigers can handle
Baez had been a significant disappointment since agreeing to a six-year, $140 million contract with Detroit before the 2022 season; in fact, Tigers fans had speculated about ways to transfer him before the 2025 season.
How foolish that would have been. Baez, a reliable clubhouse presence who is currently producing at an All-Star level, has been nothing short of remarkable. Following his walk-off blitz on Tuesday, Baez is hitting.319/.357/.513, enough for an OPS of.870, and has scored 20 runs, five home runs, and 28 RBIs. Baez can defend effectively at several spots, including center field, and wreaks havoc on the basepaths.
Manager A.J. Hinch described Baez as “all in.” We want the soldiers to give it their best, and this guy has experienced a lot while he’s been here. He’s doing his share and is an amazing person. He deserves all the accolades for his approach.
Baez went from being a pariah to a popular favorite very quickly. For contrast, take a listen to this Tigers radio call.
Few would have foreseen this scenario before the season, but Baez conducted a postgame interview with cries of “JA-VY, JA-VY” in the background. The Tigers had little to no expectations for Baez going into the 2025 season. He was great for everything, even if it was just being a good role model or presence in the locker room.
Rather, fans have been given what is possibly baseball’s greatest tale.
