$140 Million All-Star Slugger’s July Struggles Becoming a Concern for Tigers

As the Detroit Tigers try to build some momentum after the All-Star break, the team should be slightly concerned about one of their stars.

Overall, it has been a great season for the Tigers. They have been able to create a sizable lead in the American League Central and should be a playoff team in 2025, barring something crazy happening.

For most of the first half of the year, Detroit felt like a team that was overachieving. The Tigers were fortunate to have a lot of their players performing well, including some who weren’t expected to.

More News: Tigers Major MLB Trade Deadline Acquisition Has Incredible Debut With Team

Due to some injuries to expected starters, it gave opportunities to players who not too long ago figured to be potentially on their way out.

One of those players was slugger Javier Baez.

After having hip surgery in the 2024 campaign, it felt like Baez’s time with the Tigers was limited. However, he got the procedure done and found his way into the starting lineup in a strange way.

With injuries impacting the outfield, it ended up being Baez making the position switch and helping out. Despite being an infielder for most of his career, the slugger was able to transition into the outfield seamlessly.

More News: Tigers Surprisingly Send Down Red-Hot Relief Pitcher To Make Room for Charlie Morton

While filling in for the team in the outfield was extremely helpful, Baez was also able to find his groove at the plate once again.

The three-time All-Star has had some great years in the past, and his finding himself once again in 2025 was a major surprise. This season, he has slashed .267/.298/.433 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI.

For the first time since 2019, the 32-year-old was named to the All-Star team, and it was well deserved.

Even though it has been a great year thus far, the performance in July from Baez is a bit concerning. It was a terrible month for the slugger, with him slashing .180/.180/.246 with one home run and five RBI.

The Tigers might not have expected the strong production from Baez, but they have been relying on it to help their offense.

More News: Breaking Down Why Tigers Acquiring Chris Paddack Could Be Sneaky Good Move

At the trade deadline, Detroit didn’t do much to make upgrades for their lineup, which means they will be counting on players like Baez to sustain their strong campaigns.

While it is certainly possible that it was just a poor month, the struggles of Baez in the past can cause some concern. He has had a couple of nice games to start August, but monitoring his workload and production will be important for the Tigers going forward.

For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.