Javy Báez notches big milestone with epic performance as Tigers resurgence continues

Before the Tigers' series opener against the Pirates, the social media team posted a tribute to Javier Báez, congratulating him on 10 years of major league service time. Before this season — even before the last few days of April this year — a post like that would've been met only with mockery by Tigers fans, who wrote Báez off a long time ago.

There were still some detractors in the replies on that post, but the majority of them were congratulatory, and it had everything to do with Báez's mind-boggling ascent this season, which continued on his 10-year anniversary.

In the bottom of the fifth, Báez homered off of Pirates starter Bailey Falter to tie the game, then tacked onto Detroit's lead with a second homer in the bottom of the seventh. He was perhaps outshone only by Wenceel Pérez, who scored three of the Tigers' seven runs on a two-run homer and an RBI triple. But Báez's homers led fans to forgive him for the throwing error that led to Pittsburgh's first run in the second.

Báez's wife gifted him with a maze of balloons surrounding his locker after the game, some of which formed the number 10.

Javy Báez hits two homers in Tigers-Pirates opener on his 10-year MLB anniversary

The Tigers had some fun with those balloons, too. Jeff Riger shared a clip of Jake Rogers, who had sucked in some helium from one of them, taking over to ask Casey Mize a question during his post-start media availability before walking away and helium-laughing at full volume.

AJ Hinch spoke at length about Báez in his postgame and heaped on praise. "His story in Detroit is not over," he said. "but it's been written a couple different ways. He came in as a high-profile [free agent], big contract, part of this signal that there were better times ahead. And he's had to ride a pretty big roller coaster in his time here, and now he's contributing to a good team, doing a lot of different things for us and being that same joyful young guy behind the scenes."

Báez is currently fifth in AL All-Star voting as a center fielder. If Tigers fans make a push, Báez could get to his first All-Star Game since 2019, and his first as a Tiger. Fans never thought they'd find themselves in a position where they would root for that, but Báez is slowly but surely winning everyone over.