Detroit Tigers player Javier Baez found himself in the spotlight during their recent series opener against the San Francisco Giants. The game, held at Comerica Park, saw the Tigers take a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning thanks to Dillon Dingler’s RBI single.
However, the drama unfolded in the fifth inning when Baez stepped up to the plate and was called out on a full count (3-2) against Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong. Clearly unhappy with the call, Baez rushed towards home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi to argue his case. Despite initially appearing to walk away, Baez continued to exchange words with Cuzzi, leading to his eventual ejection from the game. Frustrated with the call, Baez attempted to return to the umpire, but was held back by teammate Gleyber Torres and third base coach Joey Cora.
After the game, Baez candidly expressed his feelings about the incident, stating, "I only say I’m looking for that pitch. ‘It’s not a f** strike.’ That’s the only thing I said. And then he said, ‘Don’t point at it. Walk out.’ And then I said, ‘What do you mean, walk out? I’m asking you something,’ and then he just threw me out."
Further elaborating on the pitches, Baez added, "It’s not even about the call. It’s about the competition. Like he struck me out with a pitch almost that it bounced in the grass. And they threw it out there because I know I can get to it and I make my adjustment. I win the bottom then he missed it up. So It’s not even about the call. It’s about how he tricked me."
Following Baez’s ejection, Riley Greene stepped up to hit a two-run single, extending the Tigers’ lead. The Giants managed to score only one run in the sixth inning, resulting in a 3-1 victory for Detroit.
Before his ejection, Baez went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. Reflecting on the treatment he received from home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, Baez stated, "I’m not an animal we can talk we can argue. And that’s if he would have told me Okay, I missed it. I would have shut up and go out to it because we competing and I know he’s not perfect. But don’t treat me like that."
The Detroit Tigers are set to face the San Francisco Giants again in the second game of their three-game series. Javier Baez’s ejection and his candid remarks have certainly stirred up some controversy in the baseball world, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming games.
