Tigers' Javier Baez benched after multiple head-scratching mistakes vs Blue Jays

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After multiple base-running gaffes, Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch had enough of his shortstop Javier Baez in their Thursday night game against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Baez has not had a good start to the season at the plate, but he got a good barrel on a Chris Bassitt pitch that hit off the left field wall for a double. But Baez didn’t run too hard out of the box, thinking that he had hit the ball over the fence for his first homer of the year. 

If that lack of hustle wasn’t enough, Baez later didn’t realize how many outs there were when Akil Baddoo hit a line drive to center field that was easily caught by Daulton Varsho. 

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Javier Báez of the Tigers in the dugout during the Boston Red Sox game at Comerica Park on Thursday, April 6, 2023, in Detroit. (Carl Jones/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Baez was jogging to third base while the crowd at Rogers Centre was quickly realizing that he had no clue there was only one out instead of two. Varsho fired the ball back to second to double off Baez, who couldn’t believe the mistake he had made.  

When he got back to the dugout, Hinch motioned to Baez to follow him down the tunnel toward the clubhouse and that’s never a good sign for a player. 

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Baez later emerged from the tunnel, grabbed his things and untucked his jersey as he walked back down the stairs. Those actions alone told you all you need to know: Hinch benched Baez. 

Jonathan Schoop entered at third base in the bottom of the third inning, as Nick Maton moved over to fill in at shortstop for Baez. 

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