The Detroit Tigers got back in the win column on Friday night as they went on the road and defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks by a score of 5-1.
The Tigers had nine hits as a team but none was bigger than the one Javier Baez had in the third inning.
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Tigers SS Javier Baez shuts up heckler with his bat
As Javier Baez came to the plate for his second at-bat of the game, bases were loaded. This is when a heckler who was sitting near the Tigers’ on-deck circle started talking trash to the Tigers shortstop.
“Nothing bad,” Báez said with a smile. “Just talking good trash.”
Rather than acknowledging the heckler with words, Baez proceeded to blast a 459-foot grand slam to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead over the Diamondbacks.
“They were pitching me off the plate,” Báez said. “I was looking for balls off the plate, just the way I hit. That breaking ball I missed was way away. I knew he was going to throw it away again and I went for it.
“Only it was middle-middle and I put a good swing on it.”
After hitting the home run, Baez put his fingers to his lips as if to shush the heckler and then pointed at him as he began trotting around the bases.
“I turned back and they were laughing,” Báez said. “As soon as I hit that ball, the first thing that came to my mind was all the stuff he was saying. It was fun.”
Grand Slam for Javy Baez 😤
(via @tigers)pic.twitter.com/u6Tu59ejWK
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 25, 2022
In his last eight games, Baez is batting .387 with four home runs and nine RBIs while posting an insane OPS of 1.360.
If the Tigers are going to start getting hot, Baez will have to continue to roll but he is also going to need some help from his friends.
The Tigers’ next game is today against the same Diamondbacks team.
