Javier Báez just reminded the baseball world why he’s still one of the most electrifying athletes in the game—even while playing a position he hadn’t touched in over a decade.
His jaw-dropping robbery of Jorge Soler’s would-be home run on Thursday night wasn’t just a highlight-reel moment—it was a game-altering play that helped spark the Detroit Tigers’ 10–4 comeback over the Los Angeles Angels.
Tigers pitcher Casey Mize was in awe from the mound.
“Just a freak athlete doing his thing,” Mize said. “Timed it up perfectly like he’s been out there 10 years doing it, and it just looks effortless. He’s just a great player, and it’s a great play.”
For Báez—a former Gold Glove shortstop—center field has become his latest canvas. He’s turning the outfield into a personal playground, blending elite instincts with raw athleticism.
“Wherever you put Javy, he’s going to make plays like that,” catcher Dillon Dingler said. “He’s incredible.”
Manager A.J. Hinch couldn’t agree more.
“Great athleticism, great timing, feel for the wall,” Hinch said. “All things that you can play outfield for a really long time and never quite get. He has it naturally, and it’s pretty awesome to see.”
Báez’s Revival Is Real
In just 48 hours, Báez turned two games into a full-on reminder of what he once was—and maybe what he still can be.
Power. Defense. Energy. He’s doing it all.
Before stealing a homer in Anaheim, Báez had already put his stamp on the game at the plate. Earlier that night, he blasted a 410-foot solo home run to left-center, tying the game 1–1.
“Honestly, they both are great,” Báez said, when asked whether it felt better to steal a homer or hit one.
“Hitting it feels better. To hit one, I think, is harder, but it feels great, better focus. That’s what I felt at the moment, just to be focused on where the wall was and to know when to jump.”
It was his second homer in as many games, coming off the heels of his grand slam in Houston just 24 hours earlier—a no-doubt rocket that spoiled Astros rookie AJ Blubaugh’s MLB debut and broke the game wide open.
“It’s about the quality of at-bat,” Hinch said. “If we can just stay with the quality, this will be the byproduct. He will start to drive the ball.”
That approach—not just swinging for the fences, but controlling the zone—has been the cornerstone of Báez’s resurgence in 2025. After hitting just .184 last season, he’s now batting .291 with a .760 OPS and has become one of the Tigers’ most consistent threats.
“From a bench-warming bat to a significant lineup contributor”— that’s not just a quote from The Detroit Free Press. It’s the truth of Báez’s season.
He’s no longer pressing. He’s no longer guessing. He’s producing—and doing it on both sides of the ball. In an outfield without Parker Meadows and with Riley Greene shifted to left, Báez has filled the void with Gold Glove-level defense and veteran swagger.
And if this is just the beginning? The rest of the league should be on notice:
El Mago isn’t done yet.
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