With injuries to Detroit Tigers outfielders Austin Meadows (arm), Matt Vierling (shoulder) and Wenceel Perez (back), the team's plans at center field remain a question mark heading into Opening Day on Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Detroit recently signed veteran Manuel Margot, but manager A.J. Hinch indicated the tam plans to use him mostly in a corner-outfield spot. Riley Greene, Ryan Kreidler and Javier Baez are all options to see time in center field to begin the season. Baez started a spring training game in center on Saturday, but he has appeared in the outfield in the majors just four times in his 11-year career. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican infielder has tanked offensively since joining the Tigers in 2022, culminating in a poor .184/.221/.294 slash line with a .516 OPS, six homers, 37 RBI and eight steals in 80 games last year. Fantasy managers can continue to avoid Baez in mixed leagues.

DetroitTigers shortstop Javier Baez is penciled in as the center fielder for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Braves. The Tigers will need a center fielder in the absence of Parker Meadows, who is expected to be out at least until May, but Baez does not seem like the answer with less than five innings of outfield experience on his MLB resume. Wenceel Perez was expected to fill in for the injured Meadows, but Perez is not in the lineup on Saturday. Trey Sweeney is expected to be the Tigers' shortstop this season, with Baez potentially filling in at third base and shortstop when needed, but playing some outfield hints at an all-around utility role. Currently only eligible at SS on Yahoo, the potential addition of 3B and evenOF could add some fantasy appeal, however, the 32-year-old bottomed out with a .224 wOBA and 43 wRC+ last season, so the appealwould be limited to deep AL-only leagues.

The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen reports that Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (hip) will make his Grapefruit League debut on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays and will serve as the designated hitter. The Tigers hope to have Baez playing in the field by next week. Despite undergoing a labral repair on his right hip in September of last year, the 32-year-old veteran is expected to be ready for Opening Day in late March. However, given how bad Baez has been since joining the Tigers in 2022, he's not guaranteed to be the team's starting shortstop in 2025. The Puerto Rican infielder bottomed out in 2024 by hitting .184/.221/.294 with a career-worst .516 OPS, six home runs, 37 RBI, eight stolen bases and 69 strikeouts in 289 plate appearances over 80 games. In a best-case scenario, Baez could split playing time at the 6 with Trey Sweeney. You can ignore Baez in mixed fantasy leagues.

According to the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold, Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (hip) is expected to be ready for Opening Day in late March. Baez is doing full hitting and defensive drills and will continue to progress his return to play running progression upon his arrival to spring training. The 32-year-old had a right hip labral repair in September of last year but should be ready for the start of the 2025 season, barring any setbacks in spring training. It's good news that Baez should be healthy for Opening Day, but his struggles since he arrived in Detroit mean that he'll have to compete with young infielder Trey Sweeney for playing time at the 6 this year. In only 80 games in 2024, the former Cubs sensation hit just .184 with a career-low .515 OPS, six home runs and 37 RBI. Baez should remain with the Tigers in 2025, but a bench role might be on tap.

The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen says it's unclear if Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (hip) will be ready for Opening Day after he had hip surgery last September. And if Baez is healthy, it's unclear if the Tigers will even give him a shot to reclaim the starting job at the 6. Beyond Baez, keeping both Zach McKinstry and Trey Sweeney, who both hit from the left side, could give the team a left-handed-heavy roster. Sweeney has minor-league options remaining, so in theory, he's more likely to be the odd man out going into the regular season. However, Sweeney helped fuel the Tigers' postseason run last year, which could make for a tough decision if Baez is healthy come Opening Day. Another option would but cutting Baez and eating the rest of the $73 million left on his six-year deal, but that's highly unlikely. After Baez's drastic fall the last few years, fantasy managers will be staying away from him.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (hip) has initiated a running program and is expected to begin light defensive drills later this week. Baez underwent season-ending hip surgery in August, but based on his current progress, he may be ready for Spring Training. Earlier this offseason, team president Scott Harris noted that the former World Series champion will have a role on the 2025 roster. Before the injury, the 32-year-old posted a .184/.221/.294 line with just six home runs and eight stolen bases. He generated a low .264 xwOBA and .345 xSLG. In addition, he posted a low 4.2% walk rate and a high 23.9% K rate. While he may have a role in the starting nine as the everyday shortstop, fantasy managers should keep Baez off their radar, given his lack of stable offensive output.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (hip) is expected to be part of workouts in spring training in February after having surgery on his hip, according to president of baseball operations Scott Harris. Despite Baez's massive decline since joining the Tigers, the team still sees a role for him, particularly if his surgery helps him move more like he did when he was younger. The 31-year-old's 2024 season ended early in early September when he had surgery on his right hip. Perhaps his hip injury was part of the reason why he was atrocious again this year with a .184/.221/.294 slash line, six home runs, 37 RBI and eight stolen bases in just 80 games played. Since joining the Tigers in 2022, Baez has hit .221/.263/.347 with a .610 OPS, 32 homers, 163 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 360 games. He still has three years and $73 million left on his deal, but regular playing time won't be guaranteed to Baez in 2025.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (hip), who was moved to the 60-day injured list on Monday, will have season-ending arthroscopic right-hip surgery next week. Another hugely disappointing season comes to an end early for Baez. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican infielder has somehow gotten worse in each year in Detroit and will finish the 2024 campaign with a .184/.221/.294 slash line with a career-worst .516 OPS, six home runs, 37 RBI, eight steals and 25 runs scored in 289 plate appearances over 80 games played. Given how bad he's been in his tenure with Detroit, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Tigers move in another direction heading into 2025. With Baez now out for the rest of this year, rookie Trey Sweeney should see most of the starts at the 6, although Ryan Kreidler could also mix in for the Tigers.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (undisclosed) is undergoing some tests on Friday for an undisclosed injury and could need to be placed on the 10-day injured list, depending on the results of his tests. Infielder Ryan Kreidler will be with the Tigers on Friday night in Chicago for the series against the Cubs just in case the Tigers eventually put Baez on the IL. The 31-year-old Baez continues to be a source of major disappointment for the Tigers and isn't even on the fantasy radar in mixed leagues at this point. The Puerto Rican infielder has hit rock bottom in 2024, slashing .184/.221/.294 with a .516 OPS, six home runs, 37 RBI, eight steals and 69 strikeouts in 289 plate appearances over 80 games played. Rookie infielder Trey Sweeney had already been sharing playing time with Baez at the 6, so if Baez hits the shelf, he'll see even more playing time in the near future.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. The 31-year-old made his return to Wrigley Field on Tuesday. The fans gave Baez a warm welcome, but that didn't help him as he went hitless with four strikeouts. That performance should shock no one considering Baez is hitting .182 with six home runs and 37 RBI in 79 games this season. In his place, Trey Sweeney will cover shortstop and bat eighth versus right-hander Jameson Taillon. Sweeney recently earned a call-up to the big leagues. He has only played in two games, but was hitting .267 with 15 home runs and 71 RBI in 107 games in Triple-A this season. He probably won't be a viable streaming option, but he should give the Tigers lineup more production than Baez.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez has been scratched from the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Seattle Mariners. The organization has not said why Baez has been pulled from the lineup yet. Regardless, his absence from the lineup won't matter much considering Baez has been awful this season. Zach McKinstry will take over at shortstop and bat eighth versus right-hander Bryan Woo. McKinstry hasn't been much better with the bat as he's hitting .202 with 14 RBI against right-handed pitching this season. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a streaming option for Wednesday's slate. There should be more information on Baez after the game.UPDATE: Baez is dealing with right-hip discomfort.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (neck) was a late scratch from the lineup for Thursday's game at T-Mobile Park versus the hosting Seattle Mariners due to neck soreness. The lefty-hitting Zach McKinstry replaced Baez at shortstop for Detroit, while Ryan Vilade joined the lineup in right field to bat ninth against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo. Baez should be deemed day-to-day ahead of Friday's series opener against the hosting San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. The 31-year-old former All-Star continues to be a complete disaster for both the Tigers and his fantasy managers in 2024, slashing .179/.221/.272 with just four home runs, 11 doubles, 33 RBI, and seven stolen bases in 246 at-bats this year. McKinstry and Andy Ibanez would likely share at-bats at short if Baez's absence extends beyond Thursday's series finale.

The Detroit Tigers announced on Monday that they placed infielder Javier Baez on the medical emergency/bereavement list and recalled infielder Ryan Kreidler from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move. Baez will be out for three to seven days, but the Tigers believe he'll be back on the short end of that timeline and be ready to go for Thursday's contest against the division-rival Kansas City Royals. With the 31-year-old away from the team on Monday, Kreidler made the start at the 6 against the Cleveland Guardians and went 1-for-2 in the 8-4 loss. Some combination of Kreidler and Zach McKinstry should see starts at short until Baez is back with Detroit. Baez has hit rock bottom in 2024 and is currently slashing .178/.210/.274 with four homers, 32 RBI and six steals in 230 at-bats.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez is getting a day off on Tuesday as the team faces the hosting division-rival Cleveland Guardians. Baez missed the first game out of the All-Star break last Friday due to a minor back injury but then played in the next three games, going 2-for-12 (.167) with six strikeouts and a run scored. Things just keep getting worse for the former two-time All-Star. Baez has gone 4-for-27 (.148) with a double, two walks and seven strikeouts in nine games in the month of July and is slashing a miserable .178/.212/.239 on the year with only one home run, 25 RBI and six stolen bases. If the 31-year-old Puerto Rican infielder doesn't start showing signs of the life at the plate soon, he could start opening on the bench more often in favor of Zach McKinstry, who is starting at the 6 and batting eighth on Tuesday against Guardians right-hander Xzavion Curry.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (back) is back at shortstop and is hitting seventh for the Tigers on Saturday against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. Baez will be back in Detroit's lineup for the first time since last Saturday. He had the All-Star break to rest up this week but still wasn't in the lineup for the series opener on Friday in Toronto to kick off the second half of the season. The 31-year-old has avoided the injured list, though, and will be available to fantasy managers in AL-only leagues on Saturday. It seems like ages ago that Baez was a two-time All-Star for the Chicago Cubs. He's declined each year since joining Detroit in 2022 and is currently slashing .179/.215/.244 with just one homer, 25 RBI and six steals in 59 games in 2024. Baez has hit .250 with two RBI in just four career at-bats against Kikuchi.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (back) is still out of the team's starting lineup on Friday for the series opener against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays. Zach McKinstry will make the start at the 6 and will hit sixth for the Tigers against Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt. Baez will miss his second straight game after being held out of the lineup for the final game of the first half of the season due to a back injury. The 31-year-old still isn't ready to roll following the All-Star break, but the Tigers are hopeful that Baez can avoid going on the injured list. The Puerto Rican shortstop continues to disappoint fantasy managers and isn't even worth rostering in mixed leagues at this point. He enters the second half of 2024 with a putrid .179/.215/.244 slash line, just one home run, 25 RBI and six thefts in 59 games this year.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (back) will not start in Sunday's series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers after being removed from Saturday's contest early with a lower-back injury. The struggling Baez will now have the All-Star break to rest up and could return next Friday for the start of the second half of the season. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican infielder has declined in every year since joining the Tigers in 2022 and will finish the first half with a putrid .179/.215/.244 slash line with a .459 OPS, only one home run, 25 RBI, six stolen bases and 43 strikeouts in 214 plate appearances for Detroit. He's become unplayable in all mixed fantasy leagues and hasn't shown any signs of a turnaround. Zach McKinstry will start at shortstop on Sunday and will bat in the seven-hole to close out the first half.UPDATE: There are no immediate plans to put Baez on the injured list. Manager A.J. Hinch said Baez was in better spirits on Sunday.

The Detroit Tigers reinstated infielder Javier Baez (back) from the 10-day injured list on Monday and also recalled outfielder Akil Baddoo from Triple-A Toledo. Baez will immediately return to the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the visiting Cleveland Guardians and right-hander Gavin Williams starting at shortstop and batting seventh. Baddoo will be in left field while hitting in the eight-hole. Baez will return to Detroit after missing the last month with lumbar-spine inflammation. Despite being awful at the plate again this year, the 31-year-old should see regular starts at the 6 for the Tigers moving forward. Baez has been unplayable in mixed fantasy leagues and will return to a .183/.209/.247 slash line with just one home run and six stolen bases in 53 games in 2024.

Veteran shortstop Javier Baez (back) hopes to begin a rehab assignment this coming week for the Detroit Tigers. Baez is hitting .183 with one home run, 25 RBI, and 15 runs. He is expected to report to Triple-A Toledo on Monday. Manager A.J Hinch reported that if all goes well this week, the team expects Baez back on the major league roster for the week before the All-Star break. Baez has been a disappointment for the Tigers who hope to recoup some of their investment if Baez can play better in the second half of the season.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez (spine) is still rehabbing and doing baseball activity at the club's spring training facility in Tampa. Baez isn't expected to be with the Tigers on their upcoming three-city road trip, and manager AJ Hinch said on Tuesday that he's facing an "extensive" minor-league rehab assignment once he's cleared for competition. Baez is recovering from lumbar spine inflammation and is likely to remain sidelined through the mid-July All-Star break. Considering the 31-year-old former All-Star was slashing a pathetic .183/.209/.247 with one home run, 25 RBI, 15 runs scored, and six stolen bases through 186 at-bats as Detroit's primary shortstop this year, he can be left on waiver wires in the majority of fantasy leagues.