In a matchup that had playoff echoes written all over it, Javier Báez delivered for the Detroit Tigers against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night. The shortstop, who's been on a tear this season, smacked a key double in the fifth inning, helping Detroit claw back from an early deficit. It wasn't a blowout—far from it—but Báez's at-bat shifted the momentum, leading to a narrow 4-3 victory that keeps the Tigers' wild card hopes flickering amid the late-season grind.
Indeed, Báez has been the surprise story of 2025. After years of whispers about that hefty $140 million contract turning sour, he's batting .300 with solid power numbers, even earning an All-Star nod earlier this summer. His three homers and 127 wRC+ mark a clear resurgence, especially as he's slid over to center field to accommodate the lineup shuffle. Manager A.J. Hinch praised the veteran's grit post-game, noting how Báez's energy infects the clubhouse. However, not everything's rosy; his walk rate remains stubbornly low at 3.4%, a nagging issue that's bitten him before.
The Guardians, meanwhile, put up a fight with their bullpen locking down late. Starter Tanner Bibee tossed six strong innings, fanning seven Tigers, but Detroit's opportunistic offense—fueled by Báez and Riley Greene's RBI single—proved just enough. This series, wrapping up Thursday, feels like a microcosm of the AL Central scrap: tight, tense, and full of what-ifs. Báez's removal from a lineup earlier in September due to a minor tweak raised eyebrows, but he's back now, looking every bit the 2016 Rookie of the Year.
Moreover, the win bumps Detroit to 26-15 in their last 41 games, a .634 clip that's turned heads league-wide. Critics might say it's too little too late after the playoff clinch back in late September, but Báez's contributions remind everyone why he was signed in the first place. Still, as the Tigers eye October, questions linger about sustaining this spark against tougher foes.
One can't help but wonder if Báez's hot streak is the real deal or just another fleeting high in a checkered career.