Javier Báez's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (neck) was a late scratch from the lineup for Thursday's game at T-Mobile Park versus the hosting Seattle Mariners due to neck soreness. The lefty-hitting Zach McKinstry replaced Baez at shortstop for Detroit, while Ryan Vilade joined the lineup in right field to bat ninth against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo. Baez should be deemed day-to-day ahead of Friday's series opener against the hosting San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. The 31-year-old former All-Star continues to be a complete disaster for both the Tigers and his fantasy managers in 2024, slashing .179/.221/.272 with just four home runs, 11 doubles, 33 RBI, and seven stolen bases in 246 at-bats this year. McKinstry and Andy Ibanez would likely share at-bats at short if Baez's absence extends beyond Thursday's series finale.

The Detroit Tigers announced on Monday that they placed infielder Javier Baez on the medical emergency/bereavement list and recalled infielder Ryan Kreidler from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move. Baez will be out for three to seven days, but the Tigers believe he'll be back on the short end of that timeline and be ready to go for Thursday's contest against the division-rival Kansas City Royals. With the 31-year-old away from the team on Monday, Kreidler made the start at the 6 against the Cleveland Guardians and went 1-for-2 in the 8-4 loss. Some combination of Kreidler and Zach McKinstry should see starts at short until Baez is back with Detroit. Baez has hit rock bottom in 2024 and is currently slashing .178/.210/.274 with four homers, 32 RBI and six steals in 230 at-bats.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez is getting a day off on Tuesday as the team faces the hosting division-rival Cleveland Guardians. Baez missed the first game out of the All-Star break last Friday due to a minor back injury but then played in the next three games, going 2-for-12 (.167) with six strikeouts and a run scored. Things just keep getting worse for the former two-time All-Star. Baez has gone 4-for-27 (.148) with a double, two walks and seven strikeouts in nine games in the month of July and is slashing a miserable .178/.212/.239 on the year with only one home run, 25 RBI and six stolen bases. If the 31-year-old Puerto Rican infielder doesn't start showing signs of the life at the plate soon, he could start opening on the bench more often in favor of Zach McKinstry, who is starting at the 6 and batting eighth on Tuesday against Guardians right-hander Xzavion Curry.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (back) is back at shortstop and is hitting seventh for the Tigers on Saturday against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. Baez will be back in Detroit's lineup for the first time since last Saturday. He had the All-Star break to rest up this week but still wasn't in the lineup for the series opener on Friday in Toronto to kick off the second half of the season. The 31-year-old has avoided the injured list, though, and will be available to fantasy managers in AL-only leagues on Saturday. It seems like ages ago that Baez was a two-time All-Star for the Chicago Cubs. He's declined each year since joining Detroit in 2022 and is currently slashing .179/.215/.244 with just one homer, 25 RBI and six steals in 59 games in 2024. Baez has hit .250 with two RBI in just four career at-bats against Kikuchi.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (back) is still out of the team's starting lineup on Friday for the series opener against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays. Zach McKinstry will make the start at the 6 and will hit sixth for the Tigers against Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt. Baez will miss his second straight game after being held out of the lineup for the final game of the first half of the season due to a back injury. The 31-year-old still isn't ready to roll following the All-Star break, but the Tigers are hopeful that Baez can avoid going on the injured list. The Puerto Rican shortstop continues to disappoint fantasy managers and isn't even worth rostering in mixed leagues at this point. He enters the second half of 2024 with a putrid .179/.215/.244 slash line, just one home run, 25 RBI and six thefts in 59 games this year.