Watch: Javier Baez scores a wild walk-off against the White Sox, guides Detroit Tigers to victory in his debut
The Detroit Tigers' new shortstop Javier Baez sure knows how to make an entrance.
In his first game with the Tigers, Baez sent the fans home happy as he hit one of the oddest walk-off singles in MLB history.
Baez came up with two outs and left fielder Austin Meadows (who came to Detroit via a trade with the Rays) on third base. He clobbered a fly ball deep to right field that was bobbled then recovered by new White Sox right fielder AJ Pollock.
The inning appeared to be over, but Baez was frantically pointing at the right field fence yelling that he had a hit. The umpire crew went to the replay review, and replays showed that the ball had bounced off the right field wall before touching Pollock's glove. The verdict? A walk-off RBI single for Baez and a Tigers win.
In strange fashion, Javier Báez walks things off in his first game as a Detroit Tiger
https://t.co/og8yVvySQv
Baez's game-winning single welcomed Tigers fans to a new era. Meadows arrived in Detroit days earlier in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The trade included infielder Issac Paredes and a competitive balance pick. Last year Meadows drove in a career high 106 runs, batting .234.
Baez arrived a few months earlier, signing a six-year contract valued at $140 million to play shortstop for the motor city. The pair of newcomers changed the outlook of the Tigers lineup that produced a 77-85 record in the 2021 campaign. Meadows brings power from the left side of the plate while Baez brings a five-tool skillset.
Javier Baez is ready to give the Detroit Tigers hope this season
Baez brings much more to the game than a propensity for power. Nicknamed "El Mago" he demonstrates wizardry on the basepaths and with his glove. He does it with a style worth the price of admission. Today for example, Baez dazzled Tigers fans with a sliding play at shortstop to rob a hit from the White Sox.
Detroit, meet @javy23baez.
This is gonna be fun. https://t.co/7E3dA7MptW
This isn't Baez's first time wooing new fans either. After being traded from the Chicago Cubs to the New York Mets, Baez crushed a two-run homerun helping the Mets defeat the Reds in a summer matchup. Brace yourselves, Tigers nation, El Mago has more tricks up his sleeve this season.