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Rosenthal: The Baez Deal Made Detroit Gun-Shy, Not Cheap
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- Rosenthal: The Baez Deal Made Detroit Gun-Shy, Not Cheap
Detroit Tigers veteran infielder Javier Baez is entering the final year of his six-year, $140 million deal in 2027, with $24 million still owed. MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said in a Foul Territory video that the contract has left the Tigers "a little gun-shy" about writing another one that size. His point was not that Detroit has stopped spending. It is that the Baez deal is in the room every time the front office talks itself into the next one.
The Baez contract has not stopped Detroit from paying a premium somewhere else. The Tigers signed left-hander Framber Valdez to a three-year deal worth $115 million before the 2026 season, and Rosenthal pointed to that signing himself as proof the front office will still move when it decides to.
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What has not come back is the production. Baez played just 58 games in 2026, hitting .241 with three home runs and 20 RBIs and stealing one base in three attempts. His on-base percentage was .270, his slugging percentage was .364, and his OPS was .634. Across five seasons in Detroit he has hit .230 with a .627 OPS and 3.4 wins above replacement in 544 games, according to Baseball Reference .
Ken Rosenthal Says the Javier Baez Deal Made Detroit Gun-Shy
Rosenthal went in depth on the Baez situation in a Foul Territory video, and on what it does to Detroit's thinking in free agency. He said :
It shouldn't stop you from going forward with others. Listen, they signed (Framber) Valdez. You can't hold that against them. That was a big move for them. We'll see how it works out, but sure, you get a little gun-shy after something like what happened with Javy Baez.
Now, that hasn't been a total disaster. He's had his moments. He's contributed as a teammate and actually bounced around the field and done some good things for them. But is he worth what they paid him, the 140? No, of course not. So, sure, that affected their thinking.
That is the part worth holding onto. One year left is a very different obstacle than three. Baez is 33, and whatever Detroit decides this winter, the commitment it is working around expires after 2027.
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The Tigers Youth Movement Is Already Here
The youth movement is not something still on the way. Kevin McGonigle debuted March 26 at 21 years old, played 156 games, made the All-Star team as a rookie and hit .278 with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs, per Baseball Reference . He played 96 games at shortstop and 94 at third base. Baez filled in around him, logging 35 games at shortstop along with time at second base and all three outfield spots, which is the bouncing around Rosenthal was describing.
What Detroit Does With Baez Next
Even if Baez is kept for one more season in Detroit, the Tigers are not re-signing him after the 2027 season, and he should not see much time at shortstop with McGonigle there. Hao-Yu Lee, Max Anderson, Max Clark, Riley Greene and Zyhir Hope are the other young players in the organization's long-term plans. It also would not be a surprise to see Baez traded with one year left on the contract. Scott Harris wanting to develop from within is not a surprise either, but he also needs to take some risks on the free agent market. Rosenthal's point cuts both ways: the last contract should not decide the next one.
