Javy Baez channeled his inner El Mago with a slick slide into home

Javy Baez had an amazing slide into home Tuesday night.

Javy Baez has earned the nickname “El Mago,” or “The Magician,” thanks to his dazzling play on defense. The 27-year-old Chicago Cubs star has also provided fans with some flashy plays rounding the bases as well.

The latest came Tuesday night with the Cubs taking on the Cincinnati Reds. Baez was racing toward home and it was clear a close play was coming at the plate. Most runners would have been thrown out on this specific play. But not Baez.

Javy Baez had a great slide

Chalk up another trick for El Mago. It is hard to fathom how Baez is able to essentially go into full slo-mo in order to position himself perfectly while running full speed and sliding. He was positioned close enough to the plate to tag it and just far enough from the catcher to avoid the tag.

Plays like this help explain why Baez is beloved in Chicago and why he has made two straight All-Star Games. The 2016 NLCS MVP posted a 6.0 WAR in 2019 to best his career-high of 5.8 set one year prior.

This slide from Tuesday night also gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning. But Baez was not done as he flashed his power later on with a home run in the seventh inning. This was his first of the season after launching 29 bombs in 2019.

Baez has one more year of arbitration in 2021 before he will be owed a major contract. Cubs fans know all the team’s stars won’t be getting new deals so it is important to enjoy Baez in the now. His ability to slide around tags at home is just another aspect of his game that should drive up his value.