Not a day goes by without Javier Báez thinking of the Chicago Cubs’ magical 2016 season that culminated in winning the franchise’s first World Series title in 108 years.
A tattoo of the trophy covers his upper left arm, and Báez tries to take his championship ring everywhere so nobody steals his physical reminder of the most special season of his 11-year career. Those memories came to the forefront as Báez made his first return visit to Wrigley Field on Tuesday with the Detroit Tigers since being traded three years ago.
“It’s always there, it’s always on my mind,” Báez said in the visitors dugout Tuesday before the 3-1 Cubs victory. “I always try to remember that year, the way we played it was like we weren’t afraid of anyone, especially the other team. It was like asking them to score runs because we knew that we were going to score runs.
“That’s always going to be special.”
In the three years since the Cubs traded him to the New York Mets, a reflective Báez, in a navy blue shirt with the Tigers’ old English “D” in orange across the front, said he does not consider the what-ifs of how his career arc might have altered had he remained with the organization.
“I think everything happens for a reason,” Báez said. “Obviously they had a whole different team, and they were kind of building stuff too so I don’t know how it would have been, but obviously the body (challenges) was always going to be the same. … I feel young in life and old in baseball.”
Báez’s career hasn’t followed an upward trajectory since his departure. He finished 2021 playing well for the Mets, posting a career-high 140 OPS+ in 47 games. But since signing a six-year, $140 million contract with the Tigers before the 2022 season, Báez owns a .221 average, .263 on-base percentage, .611 OPS and 71 OPS+ over 358 games. Báez’s struggles have been especially pronounced this year, coming into this series with a .185/.223/.298 slash line and 45 OPS+.
He went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts Tuesday.
“Obviously I’m not doing it right now, but I’m not turning into next year either, but I know what I can do and I was trying to stay healthy and play the whole year,” Báez said. “I don’t want to make excuses about my body and stuff. I know I can hit, I know I can run and play defense so hopefully it gets better by the end of the year.”
Cubs honored Javier Báez with a video tribute before tonight’s game: pic.twitter.com/Rff8sliaCo
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Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, at the helm for the 2021 trade, chatted with Báez before the series opener. When thinking back to his favorite memories of watching Báez in a Cubs uniform, Hoyer recalled many times when it felt Báez was invisible on base — he’d run and somehow “Matrix his body” to end up safe.
“I thought his fearlessness was his greatest attribute,” Hoyer said Tuesday. “Any moment, he didn’t care. He wanted the big stage. … I think that’s really what made him successful in those big moments, was that he was fearless.
“He’s a special player and a special entertainer. I don’t like the way this chapter of his career has gone, I know he’s struggled. I have super fond memories of him. He helped us win a lot of games here, and as a result, he’ll always be a fan favorite, as he should.”
When Hoyer traded Báez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo in the lead-up to the 2021 deadline, he didn’t want to go halfway with overhauling the roster as difficult as it was to trade those core players. Looking back, Hoyer said it has probably gone better than he could have expected when they made those moves.
“We had a really successful run with those guys, and I don’t think anything that happened with trading them or anything that happened subsequently, should take away from that,” Hoyer said. “Sometimes baseball’s a young man’s game. Obviously all those guys haven’t had the success that they had here elsewhere, but I don’t think that takes away from what happened here.
“Listen, they put a ring on my finger too, you know. I’m wearing a collared shirt, I didn’t play and have to deal with the pressure of a Game 7 or some of the stuff they did, and I never want to lose sight of the fact that these guys did some really special things, and I benefited from that. We all benefited from that in so many ways.”
The Cubs honored Báez with a nearly three-minute video tribute before the game, ending with raucous cheers by fans. He tipped his hat to the crowd in appreciation. Báez also received a standing ovation before his first at-bat in the second inning and took a moment to again acknowledge the 31,119 fans in attendance. Báez, whose nameplate above his locker in the visitors clubhouse featured his “El Mago” nickname, had a chance to catch up with Kyle Hendricks in the outfield pregame.
“Obviously I grew up in this organization and on this field,” Báez said. “Doesn’t matter what day, what time is the game, it’s always going to be packed and supporting their team.”
As Báez emerged from the dugout an hour before first pitch Tuesday while the Tigers took batting practice, his presence immediately garnered a vocal reaction from an early crowd of Cubs fans, whose “Javy! Javy!” chants earned a wave of acknowledgment from Báez.
“That’s one of the things that no one will take from you,” Báez said. “You’re always going to be a champion here.”