Detroit Tigers Star Received Incredible Gesture from Chicago Cubs in Return
Javier Baez returned to Wrigley Field on Tuesday night for the first time since the 2021 trade. It's a special moment for him as he's among one of the most important players in Chicago Cubs history.
The current Detroit Tigers shortstop hasn't found similar success since leaving the team, but what he did with the Cubs was second to none. There was a part of his career when he looked like arguably the best shortstop in Major League Baseball, and he played a big part in them winning the World Series in 2016, breaking one of the biggest droughts in professional sports history.
Chicago honored him in many ways during his first game back, including a name above his locker, a tribute video, and more.
It's well-earned, given the success he found there.
Only in Chicago does Javy Baez get this name tag above his locker. He returns tonight to Wrigley Field for the first time since being traded in 2021. pic.twitter.com/MhzKF0GcgC
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 20, 2024
Baez told reporters, including Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, that he still thinks about the 2016 World Series run.
"That's one of the things that no one will take from you. You're always going to be a champion here."
A two-time All-Star, Gold Glove Award winner, Silver Slugger, and NLCS MVP, it's easy to see why the Cubs welcomed him back with open arms. They decided to head in a different direction from him because of the situation the team was in, not because of his play.
Before being traded, he had some impressive campaigns.
In 2018, he finished with 34 home runs, 111 RBI, and slashed .290/.326/.554 with an OPS+ of 129.
While his time with the Tigers hasn't seen him do half of what he did in Chicago, perhaps that player is still there. He's shown signs of improvement throughout the past month, which is very positive for Detroit as they move forward.
It hasn't exactly been sunshine and rainbows throughout the past month, but he's starting to figure it out a bit at the plate. Considering he's under contract until the end of the 2027 season, they'll need him to get back on track.
It's important that the Cubs are showing him this type of love, too. Many around the game seem to forget how good he truly was. The contract situation makes his lack of production a bit tougher on him for many reasons, but that doesn't take away from what he did for Chicago and their fan base.
Hopefully, he can show those fans what they're missing and produce for the Tigers as they look to get a massive series win against a beatable Cubs team.
