The Detroit Tigers are having a moment. Heading into Memorial Day Weekend, they have the best record in MLB at 33-18. Detroit broke through in a big way last season to make unexpected noise in October. Inexperience may have gotten the best of them in the end, but nothing is stopping them now. Of course, a potential change to the starting lineup could unravel all the good they have done.
Yes, the potential move I am talking about is the looming return of outfielder Parker Meadows. He has been sidelined since the first game of spring training with a nerve issue in his throwing arm. Meadows may not be the greatest hitter at the plate, but he is the team's best defensive player in the outfield. One would think he would go back to centerfield when he returns. So what happens to Javier Baez?
Baez is having by far and away his best season at the plate since coming over to Detroit in free agency in 2022. He leads the team with a 1.7 WAR, slashing .292/.329/.472 at the plate. While he has played all over the diamond throughout his 12-year big-league career, potentially changing positions on him could have a negative result on his play at the plate. Of course, Meadows has to hit as well..
Fortunately, the dilemma that could potentially plague the Tigers will inevitably resolve itself soon.
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How Detroit Tigers can navigate an awkward Javier Baez situation
Look. I am going to be straight with you. You cannot take Baez's bat out of the lineup with the way he is raking. Yes, you might be slightly worse with him manning center over Meadows, but you have to be smart about this if you are manager A.J. Hinch. One of the things Baez and Hinch have that pretty much everyone else on the Tigers does not is World Series experience. Both of theirs is so positive.
Ask yourself this. What manager is going to take out his team's best bet for the sake of potentially being better on defense? Not a soul. Yes, Hinch could insert Meadows late into a game and reshuffle the deck a bit to keep it fresh in closing time, but do not be stupid, folks. If you actively limit the opportunities for your best player to make plays in a game, you deserve to lose for that flawed logic.
Of course, there may come a time where Baez's goes into a slump. This happens to even the best hitters in the game. Baseball is a game defined by the law of averages. A regression to the mean could be coming for Baez in due time. Then again, this is the type of player the Tigers were hoping to get when they give him the big bucks four offseasons ago. Meadows is still working his way back, too.
We have to give this thing time, as well as trust Hinch's elite managerial instincts to navigate all this.