00:00Here's a full breakdown of Javier Baez's injury on Tuesday night and what it means for the Detroit
00:05Tigers going forward. Javier Baez exited the Tigers 5-2 loss to the Braves at Truist Park
00:11on Tuesday night after suffering an apparent right ankle injury on a play at first base.
00:16Though Baez typically hits near the bottom of the order, he is a critical part of the Tigers
00:20clubhouse and roster, providing strong defense at shortstop while also filling in for the injured
00:26Parker Meadows in center field. If Baez were to land on the IL, Kevin McGonigal would be the only
00:32healthy shortstop on the roster until Zach McKinstry returns. The Tigers also have Matt
00:38Veerling and Wensiel Perez as options in center field. Baez underwent initial treatment and x-rays
00:44following the game and is scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday. His status remains uncertain.
00:50The injury occurred when Baez made soft contact on an 82.7 MPH changeup to shortstop Mauricio Dubon,
00:57who threw high to first baseman Matt Olsen. Olsen came off the bag to secure the catch as Baez slid
01:02feet first into first base. As his left foot reached the bag, his right cleat appeared to stick in the
01:07dirt and he immediately went down in pain, rolling near the base and punching the ground. After the game,
01:16Baez described the sequence. With the bad throw, I thought he was going to come off the bag and he
01:22did, but he landed. I saw him landing with the left leg, Baez said. I was going to dive to
01:29skip the tag
01:29and I was just trying to stay on my feet and just my cleat. I kind of got stuck in
01:34the dirt and Olsen
01:35just went straight over. I don't know how it didn't break, to be honest. First base coach Anthony
01:42Sanders signaled to the Tigers' dugout, as Baez remained on the ground in visible discomfort.
01:47Assistant athletic trainer Kelly Rhodes examined his right ankle for several minutes,
01:52gently moving it as Baez winced. I got a little treatment. I got x-rays. I feel much better now
01:58than when it happened, Baez said. We are set up to get an MRI tomorrow and see what's going to
02:03happen.
02:04Baez was eventually able to put some weight on the leg before leaving the field, with Sanders and Rhodes
02:10helping him to his feet and guiding him to a cart, as the truest park crowd applauded.
02:15I can put pressure on my ankle and you know once I got out to center field,
02:19I kind of started to feel much better with better movement, Baez said. He exited the visiting clubhouse
02:24with a boot on his right leg. Manager A.J. Hinch admitted the play looked concerning.
02:29When I saw the video, that one looked scary. I don't know the severity of that one either,
02:35Hinch said, also referring to Casey Mize's early exit with right groin tightness.
02:40Baez has got to get checked out. He was in a lot of pain and couldn't go full weight bearing,
02:45which is why we got the cart. Perez entered the game as Baez's replacement,
02:49with Vierling shifting from right field to center field and Perez taking over in right.
02:54Perez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning for the Tigers' only runs.
02:58One never expects to enter a game in that way, you know, for something to happen to your teammate,
03:02Perez said in Spanish. You never expect that, but once it happens, you have to face what's coming.
03:07That is what the game is. Thank God I was able to connect on a home run and we just
03:12keep battling
03:13until the end. With Baez's MRI looming and the roster looking thin up the middle,
03:17how do you think the Tigers should handle the shortstop and center field alignment if he misses
03:22his time?
03:22time.
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