Detroit Tigers Shortstop Javier Báez Goes Viral For Hilarious Swing and Miss

Javier Báez, who is in the second season of his six-year, $140 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, continues to whiff at awful pitches.

Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez just went viral for an MLB The Show-level whiff.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Báez stepped up to the plate with nobody on. Minnesota Twins starter Kenta Maeda started the at-bat by delivering back-to-back balls, but he got the best of Báez after that.

Báez swung and missed on the third pitch, then fouled off the next two. Catcher Christian Vazquez set up several feet away from the plate with the count at 2-2, and Maeda delivered an 82-mile-per-hour slider that made Báez look silly.

The seventh-highest paid shortstop in baseball never came close, falling off balance as he reached for the outside pitch.

I'm convinced Javy Baez would swing at a pickoff attempt. pic.twitter.com/8QnQAWbYGe

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 10, 2023

The ill-advised swing was immediately memed, as Pitching Ninja's Rob Friedman edited Báez's whiff into the video of 50 Cent's infamous wild first pitch for the New York Mets in 2014.

Javier Báez vs. 50 Cent pic.twitter.com/BJVhM2gKWh

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 10, 2023

Báez has been no stranger to the strikeout over the past few years, even if his 22.7% strikeout rate entering Thursday was on pace to be the lowest of his 10-year MLB career.

For his career, Báez has struck out 1,201 times compared to just 200 walks. Báez leads all shortstops in strikeouts since 2017.

Báez helped the Chicago Cubs win the World Series in 2016, then made All-Star teams in 2018 and 2019, batting .280 with an .822 OPS across his first four full seasons in the majors. He has since bounced around from the Cubs to the Mets to the Tigers, though, and he is a .237 hitter with a .683 OPS in that time.

Javier Báez, 2023 swings through yesterday 😬 https://t.co/Kmnjqx21LH pic.twitter.com/MEKjCzfCrp

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) August 10, 2023

Báez also struck out looking to open the bottom of the fifth on Thursday, but he singled and scored in the seventh to help Detroit add some much-needed insurance. The Tigers won 3-0, clinching the 3-1 series victory over the Twins.

Detroit will return to action Friday on the road against the Boston Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

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