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

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (back) will not start in Sunday's series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers after being removed from Saturday's contest early with a lower-back injury. The struggling Baez will now have the All-Star break to rest up and could return next Friday for the start of the second half of the season. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican infielder has declined in every year since joining the Tigers in 2022 and will finish the first half with a putrid .179/.215/.244 slash line with a .459 OPS, only one home run, 25 RBI, six stolen bases and 43 strikeouts in 214 plate appearances for Detroit. He's become unplayable in all mixed fantasy leagues and hasn't shown any signs of a turnaround. Zach McKinstry will start at shortstop on Sunday and will bat in the seven-hole to close out the first half.UPDATE: There are no immediate plans to put Baez on the injured list. Manager A.J. Hinch said Baez was in better spirits on Sunday.

The Detroit Tigers reinstated infielder Javier Baez (back) from the 10-day injured list on Monday and also recalled outfielder Akil Baddoo from Triple-A Toledo. Baez will immediately return to the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the visiting Cleveland Guardians and right-hander Gavin Williams starting at shortstop and batting seventh. Baddoo will be in left field while hitting in the eight-hole. Baez will return to Detroit after missing the last month with lumbar-spine inflammation. Despite being awful at the plate again this year, the 31-year-old should see regular starts at the 6 for the Tigers moving forward. Baez has been unplayable in mixed fantasy leagues and will return to a .183/.209/.247 slash line with just one home run and six stolen bases in 53 games in 2024.

Veteran shortstop Javier Baez (back) hopes to begin a rehab assignment this coming week for the Detroit Tigers. Baez is hitting .183 with one home run, 25 RBI, and 15 runs. He is expected to report to Triple-A Toledo on Monday. Manager A.J Hinch reported that if all goes well this week, the team expects Baez back on the major league roster for the week before the All-Star break. Baez has been a disappointment for the Tigers who hope to recoup some of their investment if Baez can play better in the second half of the season.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (spine) is still rehabbing and doing baseball activity at the club's spring training facility in Tampa. Baez isn't expected to be with the Tigers on their upcoming three-city road trip, and manager AJ Hinch said on Tuesday that he's facing an "extensive" minor-league rehab assignment once he's cleared for competition. Baez is recovering from lumbar spine inflammation and is likely to remain sidelined through the mid-July All-Star break. Considering the 31-year-old former All-Star was slashing a pathetic .183/.209/.247 with one home run, 25 RBI, 15 runs scored, and six stolen bases through 186 at-bats as Detroit's primary shortstop this year, he can be left on waiver wires in the majority of fantasy leagues.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez will start on the bench for Game 2 of the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Zach McKinstry will make the start at shortstop in his place and bat eighth against Pirates rookie right-hander Paul Skenes. Baez heads to the bench after going hitless in three at-bats with a walk and a run scored in the 8-0 Game 1 win. While the 31-year-old has been better in the month of May, he's still impossible to recommend in most mixed fantasy leagues as one of the worst regulars in baseball. The Puerto Rican veteran came into Wednesday's games hitting a poor .203/.228/.278 with a homer, 23 RBI, six stolen bases and 13 runs scored in 158 at-bats. McKinstry, who has gone 14-for-73 (.192) this year with no homers, should be ignored against the hard-throwing Skenes.