Javier Báez back in lineup for Detroit Tigers: 'I'm going to be the same guy'

NEW YORK — Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez returned to the starting lineup Friday for the first of three games against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

The 29-year-old missed the past two games in hope of physical and mental reboots. With Báez watching from the bench, the Tigers won both games against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park to take four of five in the series.

Báez, a two-time All-Star, is hitting .197 with three home runs in 40 games.

"I just got to (expletive) go out there and play hard," Báez said before Friday's game. "I wasn't in the lineup because I was taking days off and watching the game. I'm not making this a big deal. I'm not hitting and not helping. What can I do? I just got to keep working."

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The Tigers signed Báez to a six-year, $140 million contract in December. He has not performed to expectations, as his 55 wRC+ ranks 117th among 181 MLB hitters with at least 150 plate appearances.

In May, Báez hit .159 with one home run, four walks and 30 strikeouts across 29 games. He played 11 games in April — missing time due to right thumb soreness — and hit .296 with two homers, two walks and 11 strikeouts.

He owns a 24.8% strikeout rate and 3.6% walk rate.

"We need him and his presence on this team," manager A.J. Hinch said. "Hopefully, a couple days off has allowed him to reset. I have no concerns about Javy and being ready to play and being in a good place."

[ Tigers want Javier Báez to 'reset mentally' while sitting out second game in a row ]

Báez, amid the worst stretch of his career, carries a career-worst 48.4% chase rate so far in 2022. He had a 44.5% chase rate last season for the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets.

In 2021, Báez hit .265 with 29 home runs in 138 games.

"I'm going to be the same guy, if I'm hitting .500 or if I'm hitting what I'm hitting now," Báez said. "I'm going to be the same guy. I'm going to come here and play hard. After the game, I'm going to go be a human."

Two outfielders nearing returns

Outfielders Austin Meadows (vertigo symptoms) and Robbie Grossman (neck strain) appear ready to return to the Tigers, both at some point within the next seven days.

Meadows, 27, went to the injured list May 16; Grossman, 32, has been sidelined since Monday.

"I'm feeling a lot better," Grossman said.

Meadows is on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo. Though two games, he is 0-for-5 with one walk and one sacrifice fly. Although he didn't play Friday for the Mud Hens in Columbus, he is scheduled to start Saturday and Sunday.

After Monday's off-day for the Mud Hens and Tigers, the organization will decide whether to active Meadows for a two-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates beginning Tuesday at PNC Park.

"We'll make an evaluation," Hinch said.

As Meadows transitions to the Tigers, Grossman is on track to take his place in Toledo. He could appear in rehab games Tuesday and Wednesday at Fifth Third Field in Toledo.

"He's going to do some baseball activities today," Hinch said Friday. "He'll do a little more tomorrow. We hope that he can get a couple games in, Tuesday and Wednesday, before he's eligible."

Grossman is eligible to come off the injured list Thursday, but that's an off-day for the Tigers, so he is targeting his return for Friday, the start of a 10-game homestand at Comerica Park.

Meadows is hitting .267 with 12 walks and 14 strikeouts in 28 games for the Tigers. Grossman has a .199 batting average with 21 walks and 51 strikeouts in 42 games. Neither outfielder has homered this season.

Meadows and Grossman crushed 27 and 23 home runs, respectively, in 2021. 

Matt Manning to see specialist

Right-hander Matt Manning remains on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. He reported a setback after his fourth rehab start for Toledo, though the setback — which he didn't report right away — occurred after his second rehab outing.

The 24-year-old has been diagnosed with right biceps tendinitis.

Manning will visit a specialist Monday.

Akil Baddoo to West Michigan

Outfielder Akil Baddoo, on the minor-league injured list with an oblique strain, began a rehab assignment Friday with High-A West Michigan. He started in center field and hit leadoff.

Baddoo, 23, will eventually transition to Triple-A Toledo. He is scheduled to play for West Michigan through the weekend, then the Tigers hope he can suit up for the Mud Hens.

"We've bombarded the Triple-A team with so many different rehab guys," Hinch said, "with half games, three-quarter games."

The Tigers demoted Baddoo to Toledo on May 19. After two games for the Mud Hens, he suffered an oblique injury. He hit .140 with one home run, two RBIs, five walks and 15 strikeouts in 17 games for the Tigers this season.

"The motivation to send him down was for a short period of time for a 10-day, two-week tuneup, and it turned into a month-plus long injury," Hinch said. "It'll be nice to get him back on the field and get going.

"The attention that we're going to give to him is about the quality of at-bat. One of the things that was so appealing about him last year was how tough of an at-bat he was."

Down on the farm

Outfielder Kerry Carpenter isn't among the Tigers' top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, but the 24-year-old made his mark for Double-A Erie in May, hitting .411 with 13 home runs and 29 RBIs across 24 games.

That success earned Carpenter the Eastern League Player of the Month award.

During May, Carpenter led the league in batting average, home runs, RBIs, hits (37), runs (27), total bases (83), on-base percentage (.471), slugging percentage (.922) and on-base-plus slugging percentage (1.393).

In 2022, Carpenter is hitting .311 with 17 home runs, 38 RBIs, 13 walks and 51 strikeouts in 44 games for the SeaWolves. The Tigers selected him in the 19th round (No. 562 overall) in 2019.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Javier Báez back for Detroit Tigers: 'I'm going to be the same guy'