Javier Baez has heard boos for most of his tenure in Detroit. So it goes for a player who signs a $140 million contract and immediately devolves into one of the worst hitters in the majors. At times, Baez has probably wanted to boo himself.
"It's been frustrating, to be honest," Baez said after hitting his first homer of the season in the Tigers' comeback win over the Twins on Sunday. "I've been trying my best for two years, if you want to say it like that."
Despite his best efforts -- and the Tigers insist the work behind the scenes remains good -- Baez has hit .227 with a .623 OPS since signing with Detroit. His wRC+ over this stretch -- essentially, his ability to create runs -- is second to last in the bigs among 123 qualified hitters (only Guardians outfielder Myles Straw, who was out-righted to the minors at the start of this season, has been worse.) His overall offensive rating is dead last.
Maybe most frustrating for Tigers fans, Baez also has the highest chase rate in the majors over the last three seasons. He has swung more frequently at pitches out of the zone than any big-league hitter since joining the Tigers, which is why so many of his at-bats go up in smoke.
The boos have been even more prevalent this season, with Baez hitting .140 with a .361 OPS and the highest chase rate of his career through 13 games. One of the highest-paid shortstops in baseball is hitting in the bottom of the Tigers' lineup, and sometimes not playing at all. Asked if the boos from the hometown fans affect him, Baez said, "Not really. I mean, I've been booed pretty much my whole career."
"I know it's frustrating for the fans, but that doesn't really help the team and the organization," Baez said. "I think if we grind together, we should stand up together, we should stay together when we're down. It's not only here. It's happening in other organizations with other players, so it doesn't affect me, to be honest."
Baez, 31, did say that some fans can cross the line: "I don't think it's really respectful when people talk trash and disrespect you (from) behind net where they can say anything."
"If fans boo, it's fine," said Baez, who has two young sons who are often at his games. "But if they start saying other stuff and cussing at you, it's different, you know? You got family out there, you got kids out there and that's not what they're here for."
Baez has been a lightning rod for most of his career. Even when he was a two-time All-Star and MVP candidate with the Cubs, his big personality and flashy style of play made him a target of opposing fanbases. He's still booed by White Sox fans whenever he returns to Chicago. He was even booed by Mets fans at Citi Field earlier this season, despite playing very well for the team following a midseason trade in 2021. Baez made enemies in New York with his infamous thumbs-down celebration, a shot at the fans for their hot-and-cold support.
"I'm just worried about playing good and doing good for my team and my organization," Baez said after the Tigers moved to 9-6 on the season. "So (the fans) can do whatever."
If they want to condemn his poor play, which is entirely their right, Baez would only ask that they keep it civil.
"For me, I only care about staying healthy. If I'm healthy, I've got no excuses (not) to do good. And when I do good, everybody's happy, so hopefully I keep getting better every day and I keep seeing the ball better," he said.
