The Tigers introduced a sequence of roster strikes at present, together with the choice of right-hander Ty Madden, which was reported yesterday. The membership additionally recalled right-hander Mason Englert from Triple-A Toledo. To open energetic roster spots for these two, the membership positioned right-hander Will Vest on the paternity checklist and optioned left-hander Bryan Sammons to Toledo. To open a 40-man spot for Madden, infielder Javier Báez was transferred to the 60-day injured checklist. Supervisor A.J. Hinch knowledgeable experiences that Báez will bear proper hip surgical procedure and is completed for the 12 months. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press was amongst these to relay the information on X.
Báez was positioned on the 10-day injured checklist a couple of days in the past, with what the Tigers described as lumbar backbone and hip irritation. It’s attainable the problem has been bothering him for some time, as he additionally missed near a month earlier this 12 months on account of lumbar backbone irritation. He beforehand informed Petzold that he has handled decrease again discomfort all through his time with the Tigers.
Maybe the again/hip points present some type of rationalization for his precipitous drop-off when it comes to efficiency since coming to Detroit. By means of the top of 2021, he had a profession batting line of .264/.307/.477 for a wRC+ of 104. When mixed along with his sturdy shortstop protection and baserunning, he had produced 21.6 wins above substitute within the eyes of FanGraphs.
The Tigers signed him to a six-year, $140MM deal going into 2022 however he has hit simply .221/.262/.347 over the lifetime of that deal for a wRC+ of 69. That features an atrocious .184/.221/.294 line and 41 wRC+ this 12 months. Amongst gamers with not less than 250 plate appearances this season, solely Brandon Drury has a decrease wRC+. Báez has additionally had much less spectacular numbers on protection lately and his contract is taken into account one of many worst within the sport in the meanwhile.
Ideally, the surgical procedure will handle the problem and permit Báez to place this depressing stretch behind him, however there’s no assure that can come to move. He’s now 31 years previous, turning 32 within the offseason. Which means the remainder of the contract will see him attempting to battle in opposition to the usual results of time, along with overcoming this again/hip downside.
Even when he doesn’t get all the best way again to his pre-Tigers kind, there’s a number of room for enchancment over his present outcomes, which the Tigers would fortunately take. They’re pivoting to a younger crop of place gamers, giving a number of taking part in time to infielders Colt Keith, Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney. The Tigers doubtless view that group as a extra vital a part of their subsequent aggressive window than Báez, however even when he may turn into a strong utility/bench participant, that may doubtless be considered as a pleasant comfort relative to how tough issues have gone over the previous three seasons. His deal will nonetheless have $73MM and three years remaining after the conclusion of the 2024 season.
