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Javier Báez's rehab going well, but how he responds remains a mystery for Tigers
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- Javier Báez's rehab going well, but how he responds remains a mystery for Tigers
Slowly but surely, Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez is recovering from right hip surgery .
Manager A.J. Hinch provided an update on Báez, who underwent season-ending arthroscopic hip surgery in early September , at MLB's Winter Meetings.
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"We're all anxious to see how he comes out of it physically with the hip," Hinch said Tuesday at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, "and hopefully, that alleviates the back issues that he's talked about. He's been very diligent in his work and very diligent in his rehab process."
Recently, Báez — who rehabbed in Detroit in the final month of the regular season, took part in the end-of-year team photo despite being on crutches and supported his teammates from the dugout in the postseason — initiated a running progression and started light defensive drills.
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Tigers shortstop Javier Baez slides into third base during the second inning against the Rangers on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
He still has a long way to go.
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The optimistic Tigers expect Báez to participate in spring training, but it's unclear if he will be ready for 2025 Opening Day , scheduled for March 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers .
"He hasn't had a misstep or he hasn't had anything that gives us doubt or pause that he's not going to be fully healthy when the time comes," Hinch said. "I don't know when that is, and I don't know what he's going to be able to give us as we get into the spring. But I'm very proud of his communication, his diligence. The program he's on is giving him the best chance to get back to being healthy."
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A recurring back injury impacted the way Báez rotated his body when swinging for at least the past two seasons, in which he hit .208 with 15 home runs and a .556 OPS in 216 games.
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The hip operation might allow Báez to rotate freely again.
"I don't know how long it bothered him," Hinch said. "I know it hurt him to tell me and our training staff how much he felt like he couldn't go. ... We've seen flashes of Javy, but it gets absorbed a little bit too much into some of the struggles."
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Báez has three seasons and $73 million remaining on a six-year, $140 million contract with the Tigers. His performance has gotten worse in each of his first three seasons. In 2024, Báez had a career-worst .184 batting average with a career-worst .516 OPS.
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There were a few memorable moments, such as when he went 8-for-13 (.615) with seven RBIs in three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in mid-May and when he hit an unexpected game-winning home run off Seattle Mariners right-hander reliever Andrés Muñoz in mid-June.
If healthy, Báez projects as the short side of a platoon with fellow shortstop Trey Sweeney .
In that case, Báez — a right-handed hitter — would primarily play against left-handed pitchers, while Sweeney — a left-handed hitter — would handle almost all of the opportunities against right-handed pitchers.
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"We hope this is a remedy to get him back to playing with freedom and playing more consistently," Hinch said, "and being the version of the player that he thinks he can become and we think he can become, but he's got to do the work. He sat on the sidelines and watched a really young, interesting team play really well down the stretch. I bet that's given him a lot of energy."
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Javier Báez injury: What Tigers' A.J. Hinch said about future
