Chicago Cubs Welcoming Back Former Fan Favorite To Wrigley Field

A former Chicago Cubs World Series hero makes his long-awaited return to Wrigley Field.

Jul 26, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez (9) reacts after hitting a walk-off single. / Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

It's been over three years since Javier Baez last played at Wrigley Field.

Baez's last appearance at the Friendly Confines came on July 29, 2021, in the Chicago Cubs' 7-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He went 2-for-4 that day with a pair of singles, a strikeout and a caught stealing, giving Cubs fans one last reminder of what made him such a compelling player to watch (for better or worse).

The following day, he was gone, traded to the New York Mets along with Trevor Williams for Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Baez finished out the season with the Mets before signing a six-year, $140 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, which has proven to be a total disaster. In his first three campaigns with the Tigers, Baez has batted just .221/.263/.348 (71 OPS+), completely cratering at the plate as soon as the ink dried.

While Baez isn't the same player he used to be, he will make his much-anticipated return to Wrigley Field on Tuesday when Detroit kicks off a pivotal three-game series with Chicago.

Javier Báez returns to Wrigley Field for the first time since being traded tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Mlxky8puSn

— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) August 19, 2024

Despite his struggles with the Tigers, the 31-year-old shortstop will likely get a standing ovation from Cubs fans after everything he accomplished with the franchise.

Baez spent a full decade with the organization after being drafted in the first round out of high school in 2011. He debuted with Chicago in 2014 but didn't start playing every day until 2016. He helped the Cubs win their first World Series in 108 years that season, contributing 2.8 WAR during the regular season and homering in Game 7 of the Fall Classic against the Cleveland Guardians.

After that, Baez blossomed into one of the best players in baseball, earning back-to-back All-Star nods in 2018 and 2019. He was the NL MVP runner-up in 2018 after leading the league with 111 RBI and won his first Gold Glove award two years later. Along the way, Baez endeared himself to Chicago fans with his combination of raw ability and burning passion on the diamond, which translated to fearless baserunning, clutch hits, an aggressive batting style and dazzling defensive plays.

While it's been another trying season for Baez, he does come to town on a bit of a hot streak with five home runs and 12 RBI over his last 15 games. Based on his familiarity with Wrigley Field and recent performance, don't be surprised if he does something to electrify the crowd this week.