Javier Báez’s 2025 season with the Detroit Tigers has marked a significant turnaround for the veteran. In fact Javy is just a season removed from a forgettable 2024 in which a hip issue forced him to miss a good chunk of the second half of the season, which included the history-making run to the playoffs. Moreover though, Báez’s struggle on the field also had fans questioning whether the team was better off without him.
Fast-forward to this, and El Mago is living up to his name—so much so that CNN noticed his resurgence and noted Javy’s “magical comeback.”
Instead, this season the 32-year-old Puerto Rican has revived his career, turning those boos into cheers as he’s found ways to contribute that no one would have expected. He celebrated 10 years of service time in the major leagues on Tuesday with two home runs, reaching a major milestone with aplomb.
“It’s really fun, man,” Báez said about his team after a recent game. “They have a lot of fun here. We always stay together. And you know, that was one of the reasons why I came here. I saw the other prospects coming up, and this was going to make a good team in the future. And you know, the future is – obviously, we doing it right now.”
What accounts for Baez’s turnaround? He has posted an impressive slash line of .309/.346/.496 over more than 130 plate appearances. In contrast, it’s important to note that last season, he struggled significantly with a slash line of .184/.221/.294.
It seems obvious that injuries were more than likely having an impact on the veteran. In turn a healthy Báez who is feeling more balanced and pain-free has allowed him to perhaps reshape his batting stance which viewers have noticed is more closed (from 33 degrees open in 2024 to 10 degrees in 2025). He’s also widened his feet (31.2 to 33.3 inches), and moved closer to the plate (27.1 to 19.6 inches deep).
Additionally Javy has also become more versatile this season showing his ability to be a very serviceable centerfielder in the early absence of Parker Meadows. In fact, this versatility added value despite below-average defensive metrics (-4 Outs Above Average in 2024).
Of course there are still concerns surrounding Javy. He still has an inflated BABIP and weak contact metrics so not at all out of the realm of possibility that the bottom falls out at any time. Despite all of that though, Báez’s improved health and mechanical adjustments this offseason have allowed the vet to somewhat avoid discussions about his $140M contract being an albatross.
