Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez made a costly mistake that left fans and teammates frustrated during Thursday night's game against Toronto.
With one out and no score in the top of the second inning, Baez hit a double off the left field wall but failed to run hard out of the batter's box, costing him a potential triple. The next Tigers batter hit a line drive to center field, but Baez mistakenly ran to third base and rounded it, thinking there were two outs. Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho quickly tossed the ball to second base, resulting in an easy double play.
Yikes.
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) April 13, 2023
Javy Baez was doubled up off of 2nd base after not knowing how many outs there were.
pic.twitter.com/FeAEcmWZSN
When MLB players forget the number of outs, it can lead to disastrous consequences like this. It does happen from time to time, but this is not Little League. You have high expectations for the best players in the world, and you would expect that they would not have to be reminded to keep track of the outs in an inning.
Baez's error ultimately led to his benching in the third inning. The incident is indicative of Baez's rocky start to the season, as he is currently batting a meager .122. This is concerning for both the Tigers front office and fans, as Baez is in the second year of a lucrative 6-year contract that will see him earn $140 million. The team is struggling as a whole, currently sitting at the bottom of the major leagues.
Despite Baez's absence, the Tigers managed to hold together to secure their second victory of the year against the Blue Jays, winning 3-1. The Tigers will need to rely heavily on Baez to turn their season around, which means he will need to avoid costly mistakes like the one he made on Thursday night.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
