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The Tigers placed Baez on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right ankle sprain.
Baez suffered the injury while trying to leg out a base hit in Tuesday's loss to Atlanta and was carted off the field. The Tigers haven't revealed the severity of Baez's sprain, but he's likely to need more than just a minimum 10-day absence. Wenceel Perez and Matt Vierling should see upticks in playing time while Baez is shelved.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Carted off field
Rotowire
Baez was removed from Tuesday's game against Atlanta with an apparent right ankle injury, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Baez made an awkward slide into first base during the fifth inning of Tuesday's contest and had to leave the game in a cart. The Tigers will presumably send him in for imaging to determine the severity of his injury, at which point more will be known regarding his short-term availability. Any missed starts for Baez would likely lead to increased playing time in the outfield for Wenceel Perez and also make it easier for Gleyber Torres, Colt Keith and Kevin McGonigle to make regular starts in the infield.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Taking seat Sunday
Rotowire
Baez isn't in the starting lineup Sunday versus Cincinnati.
Baez started the Tigers' previous five games, making appearances at shortstop and second base and in center field. However, he'll begin Sunday on the bench after going 3-for-17 with one homer during that five-game stretch.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Hits second home run in loss
Rotowire
Baez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 9-8 loss to the Reds.
Baez launched his second home run of the season in the third inning against Cincinnati lefty Andrew Abbott. The veteran utility player continues to see regular playing time split between the middle infield and center field. While Baez's power production is down from earlier in his career, he is at least making solid contact with a .278 batting average, which would be his best mark since 2019.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Grabbing seat Monday
Rotowire
Baez is not in the lineup for Monday's contest against the Red Sox.
Baez had drawn seven consecutive starts, but he'll get a day off for the Patriots' Day game in Boston. Matt Vierling will patrol center field, and Kevin McGonigle will occupy shortstop in the series finale.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Continues solid play
Rotowire
Baez went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Royals.
Baez started in center field for the third time in Detroit's last five games, and he continued his solid start to the season. The veteran is now batting .295 with a .774 OPS, one home run, five RBI and five runs scored across 13 appearances. Baez's ability to play the outfield has opened up shortstop for young phenom Kevin McGonigle, and that arrangement figures to stick for the time being, though McGonigle can also shift over to third to allow Baez to cover short on occasion.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Absent from lineup
Rotowire
Baez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Marlins.
Baez will get a chance to catch his breath after going 7-for-14 with a homer and three runs scored over his last four games. Kevin McGonigle will start at shortstop while Baez sits, and Matt Vierling will patrol center field.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Swats first homer of year
Rotowire
Baez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 2-0 win over the Marlins.
Getting the start in center field and batting ninth, the veteran utility player took Chris Paddack deep in the fifth inning for his first long ball of the season. Baez will still get reps at shortstop, but he'll be part of the solution in the outfield while Parker Meadows (concussion/arm) is sidelined, a role Baez thrived in last season. He's had a quick start to 2026 at the plate as well, slashing .324/.351/.500 through 10 games with three doubles, a steal, four runs and four RBI.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Pair of hits in loss Thursday
Rotowire
Baez went 2-for-4 with a double in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Twins.
Baez was the only Detroit player to record multiple hits, as Mick Abel shut out the Tigers through six innings before giving way to the bullpen. Baez was the lone hitter to have much success against Abel, singling in the second inning before doubling in the fourth. The veteran utility man is still looking for his first home run of the season but is slashing .323/.353/.419 with three doubles, three RBI, three runs scored, one stolen base and a 1:7 BB:K across 34 plate appearances.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: On bench again Monday
Rotowire
Baez is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Twins.
Baez will hit the bench for the fourth time in eight games, with all of his absences coming against right-handed pitching. He appears to have fallen into an indirect timeshare with Zack McKinstry, who has been seeing time in right field and second base while Kevin McGonigle covers shortstop when Baez is out of the lineup. Baez is holding down a lowly .200/.227/.200 slash line over 22 plate appearances to begin the season, and he could see his playing time dwindle further if he's unable to stage a dramatic turnaround.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Swipes first bag in win
Rotowire
Baez went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and an RBI in Friday's 4-0 win over the Cardinals.
Baez started at shortstop and batted ninth, with red-hot rookie Kevin McGonigle covering third and batting leadoff. McGonigle has certainly hit the ground running in his MLB debut and will play short frequently, so Baez will likely need to settle into more of a utility role. So far, the veteran has only seen time at short and second base, but he remains an option to play at third as well as in the outfield. Baez has yet to really get going in 2026, as he's sporting a .513 OPS with no home runs and the single stolen base through five games.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Sitting Saturday
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Baez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Cardinals, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Baez will take a seat after going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base in Friday's win. His absence will allow Kevin McGonigle to start at shortstop with Colt Keith at third base.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Stepping out of lineup
Rotowire
Baez isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Diamondbacks.
Baez will stay put in Detroit's dugout to begin Tuesday's festivities while Kevin McGonigle gets the nod at shortstop and Colt Keith starts at the hot corner.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Sitting Saturday
Rotowire
Baez is not in the Tigers' starting lineup against the Padres on Saturday.
The Tigers will tweak their lineup for Saturday's game, moving Kevin McGonigle to shortstop and Colt Keith to third base while Kerry Carpenter serves as the designated hitter. Through two regular-season games, Baez has gone 1-for-7 with one walk and two strikeouts.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Set for utility role?
Rotowire
With Kevin McGonigle set to make the Opening Day roster, per Robert Murray of FanSided.com, Baez may ultimately slide into a utility role with the Tigers.
The Tigers wouldn't have top prospect McGonigle on the roster just to sit on the bench, so the 21-year-old should see plenty of time at shortstop. That could push Baez into more of a utility role where he plays both in the infield and outfield. The veteran saw his first action in center field at the MLB level last season, and he could ultimately overtake Parker Meadows there in 2026, particularly if the former performs better at the plate. Baez should also see time at short when McGonigle needs a breather.
Baez (back) will start at second base and bat sixth in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Lower-back tightness kept Baez off the field for a few days but will not significantly hinder his preparations for the start of the season. The 33-year-old is off to a nice start this spring with four hits, including a homer, to go along with a stolen base through four exhibition games. He has three-position eligibility entering the 2026 campaign (3B, SS, OF) but his exact role is still to be determined.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Expected back in lineup Saturday
Rotowire
Baez (back) is expected back in the Tigers' Grapefruit League lineup Saturday versus the Pirates, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Baez hasn't played since being scratched from Tuesday's lineup with lower-back tightness. However, he'll go through a full workout Friday and, if all goes well, will be back in action this weekend.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Scratched with back tightness
Rotowire
Baez was scratched from Tuesday's exhibition game versus Team Dominican Republic due to lower-back tightness.
Baez should be considered day-to-day for the time being. Max Clark subbed in for Baez in center field in the Tigers' lineup Tuesday.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Hits first spring home run
Rotowire
Baez went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
Baez has now gone 4-for-7 through three spring games, and his home run Friday was his first of the exhibition slate. Earlier this month, the veteran was suspended from the World Baseball Classic for testing positive for marijuana in March 2023. The WBC's governing body classifies marijuana as a banned substance, but Major League Baseball does not, so his status with the Tigers is unaffected. Baez looks like Detroit's primary shortstop to begin the year, though he could also move into a utility role and play some in center, particularly if top prospect Kevin McGonigle makes a push for the role at short. The 33-year-old had something of a bounce-back campaign in 2025, but his fantasy value overall has been trending down across his four seasons with the Tigers.
