Javier Baez has gone from being squarely on the Detroit Tigers' chopping block to actually contributing to a first-place team in just one month. He has done this thanks in large part to a massive change in approach. Baez is no longer trying to hit a home run with every swing he takes, and he has played well as a result of that.
If you told me Baez had just one home run at the end of April, I would've assumed either that he was injured or that the Tigers had finally decided that enough was enough and released him. Instead, Baez's lack of power has been instrumental toward the team's early-season success.
Baez is now playing his best baseball in years, and is doing that thanks in large part to his approach change.
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Javier Baez's change of approach has him playing his best baseball with the Tigers
Baez hitting home runs was not an issue. His disinterest in doing anything but hitting a home run was why his Tigers career had gone so poorly. Baez has always been ultra-aggressive at the plate, but since signing his six-year, $140 million pact with Detroit ahead of the 2022 MLB season, he had taken that aggressive approach to another level. He was constantly the butt of the joke when it came to making fun of players who swung at pitches nowhere near the plate, and to be honest, much of the mocking he was receiving was deserved.
Baez was performing like one of the worst players in the game with his home run or bust approach. This season, however, something has changed.
Baez is still chasing and whiffing a ton, but he has been more patient this season than he has in years. His 38.4 percent chase rate according to Baseball Savant is still among the worst in the sport, but it's his lowest mark since the 2015 campaign - his rookie year. His 4.7 percent walk rate is still quite low, but is his highest mark since signing with the Tigers.
As a result of not solely chasing home runs, he finished the month of April slashing .296/.337/.407 with one home run and 11 RBI. His 0.9 bWAR is nearly half of the 2.1 bWAR he amassed over his first three seasons in Detroit. He did that in one month.
He's far from a perfect player, and Tigers fans would probably love to see him hit more than one home run in a month, but it's hard for anyone to complain with his production given the player he has been for his entire Tigers tenure. This version of Baez, while not a game-changer, is an actual contributor to a team that's winning baseball games. The contract is still a disaster, but again, given the player he had been, Tigers fans are just happy to see him contribute in a positive way.