Javier Báez served as the hero for the Detroit Tigers against the Boston Red Sox on Monday at Comerica Park, and “El Mago” did so with his first home run in a Detroit uniform.
With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Báez showed off his absurd bat speed by turning on a letter-high 93 mph fastball and obliterating it down the line for a two-run dinger.
El Mago left NO DOUBT on his first homer for Detroit. pic.twitter.com/cICeoEXIpI
— MLB (@MLB) April 11, 2022
That swing is a thing of beauty. pic.twitter.com/2wqRW6BkmC
— MLB (@MLB) April 11, 2022
That sound. It must be an incredible feeling to hit a baseball like that.
And turned out to be a game-winning blast for Báez in a 3-1 Tigers win.
Báez — who signed a six, $140 million deal with Detroit over the offseason — also put his fantastic shortstop defense on display with this diving play and throw from his knees:
El Mago doing El Mago things. pic.twitter.com/Ynp6P52Uks
— MLB (@MLB) April 11, 2022
Here’s a look at how the baseball world is reacting to Báez’s heroics:
Pitches up there aren’t supposed to get barreled. Brutal. pic.twitter.com/KVdELc6oPz
— Will Middlebrooks (@middlebrooks) April 11, 2022
Javy Báez blasted pitch No. 6 out of the park and he was all over it pic.twitter.com/Uc9dawOhUz
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) April 11, 2022
Javier Báez's home run came on a pitch 3.85 ft above the ground, the 2nd-highest pitch he's ever hit for a HR
He homered off a pitch 3.91 ft above the ground on 6/2/2018 against the Mets (video below!) pic.twitter.com/Kar7BCLkIy
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 11, 2022
“He also walked. You can put that in your notes.”-A.J. Hinch talking about Javier Baez.
— Chris Castellani (@Castellani2014) April 12, 2022
A Very Javy Homer https://t.co/bwp8oHYpiS
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) April 11, 2022
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.