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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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?
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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.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Back in lineup Saturday
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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
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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
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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
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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.
Tigers' Javier Baez: WBC ban won't affect MLB status
Rotowire
Baez has been suspended from the World Baseball Classic for testing positive for marijuana in March 2023, but the suspension will not affect his availability for the start of spring training, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
The World Baseball-Softball Confederation -- which governs the WBC -- classifies marijuana as a banned substance, hence the suspension. He will be eligible to play again for Team Puerto Rico in the 2029 WBC. Major League Baseball does not list it as a banned substance, so Baez's status with the Tigers is unaffected. The 33-year-old Baez is expected to be the Opening Day shortstop in 2026, though he will have to hold off top prospect Kevin McGonigle for the gig.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Plates four runs in Game 4
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Baez went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, two additional RBI and a stolen base during Wednesday's win over the Mariners in Game 4 of the ALDS.
Baez smacked an RBI single into left field to tie the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning. He then deposited an Eduard Bazardo offering into the left-field bleachers during the sixth to give the Tigers two more insurance runs en route to a convincing 9-3 victory. The 32-year-old is now 9-for-26 (.346) with a homer, five RBI and two runs scored through seven games in the postseason.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Homers in regular-season finale
Rotowire
Baez went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Red Sox.
Baez provided Detroit's offense on the afternoon, hitting his 12th home run of the season in the fourth inning with two runners on. While the veteran cooled down some after a strong start to the year, he still put together a bounceback campaign following a disastrous 2024. Baez wraps up his regular season with a .257/.282/.398 slash line across 126 games.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: In Thursday's lineup
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Baez (neck) will start at shortstop and bat ninth Thursday against the Guardians.
Baez sat out the Tigers' last two games while dealing with neck stiffness, but he'll return in time to start a pivotal contest against Cleveland in the race for the AL Central title. The 32-year-old has been struggling offensively since the beginning of the month, going just 3-for-27 (.111) and posting a .323 OPS over 12 games.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Remains out of lineup Wednesday
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Baez (neck) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Baez was originally in Tuesday's lineup against Cleveland but was scratched ahead of the first pitch due to neck stiffness. He evidently needs another day, and Trey Sweeney is manning shortstop for the Tigers and batting ninth.
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Tigers' Javier Baez: Scratched with neck stiffness
Rotowire
Baez was scratched from the lineup ahead of Tuesday's game versus Cleveland due to neck stiffness.
Baez will take a day off to rehab his neck injury, opening up an opportunity for Trey Sweeney to start at shortstop and bat ninth for the Tigers.
