The Detroit Tigers have had a handful of surprise offensive contributors this season who have helped the team make a case as the American League's top contender. One of the most surprising pieces of this is the emergence of Javier Báez, who had three years left on his deal and still was viewed as a possible roster cut.
Things were impossibly bad for a player signed to be the answer to the issues facing the middle infield. After struggling in his final two seasons with the Chicago Cubs, an incredible surge with the Mets helped land a contract in Detroit.
One that the organization quickly regretted with the veteran infielder offering increasingly frustrating production. Still, the decision to remain patient has paid off with Báez playing at a level he hasn't reached since the 2019 season. This is ideal with two years still remaining with the infielder under contract for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
This presents an interesting decision at the end of the 2025 season if the current results continue. One could argue it is time to attempt to escape the final two years of the deal.
Tigers Have an Interesting Decision to Make with Javier Báez
It was already a question mark if the Tigers had overpaid the middle infielder before the implosion that happened coming into this season. Detroit didn't have a path to escape the contract, with no team willing to take on the offensive liability. With this in mind, the recent surge could create a bit of a surprise market for the veteran.
If the production is here to stay, the Tigers shouldn't consider moving a key piece of what has been a contending roster. However, the flip side of this is that the recent performance has been an outlier in every meaningful way. If a team offers the Tigers a chance to free the cap space to sign a more consistent option at the end of the season, it is at least a conversation.
Javier Báez has been a consistent source of frustration, and two months of solid production don't take this fact away. If the 2025 season provides an avenue of escape, the front office has to at least consider the possibility.