PT TOMORROW: NL Central—Baez destined for bottom of order?
Mar 16 2021
Javier Báez’s (SS, CHC) future is far from certain in Chicago, but there’s little doubt that he will be locked into their lineup as the everyday shortstop in 2021. However, his skills declined significantly in the shortened season, highlighted by his lowest contact rate (66%) since 2014, as well as subpar xBA (.222) and xPX (87) marks. With that in mind, he’s been a divisive player in the early draft season.
Part of the calculation regarding the potential for a Báez bounceback will revolve around where he bats in the Cubs’ lineup. Entering the 2021 campaign, Báez hit fifth or lower in the team’s order for 1,366 of his 2,708 career plate appearances. However, the majority of those appearances came in 2016 and 2017, his first...
Almost!
You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
More From PT Tomorrow
Jesús Sánchez (pictured) and Nathan Lukes are jockeying for at-bats in left field for Toronto. Plus, more fallout from the first weekend of action in 2026.
Mar 31 2026 3:05am
Mar 31 2026 3:05am
This week's NL West column answers the lineup questions we posed at the beginning of spring training.
Mar 28 2026 3:05am
Mar 28 2026 3:05am
Opportunities abound for young interesting players in the National League Central.
Mar 27 2026 3:05am
Mar 27 2026 3:05am
Following up on our spring training questions, including what happens to the rest of the lineup if Kevin McGonigle makes it onto the Tigers' roster?
Mar 26 2026 3:08am
Mar 26 2026 3:08am
Before spring training began, we asked about each team's playing time. Here are the answers for the AL West as spring training comes to an end.
Mar 25 2026 3:05am
Mar 25 2026 3:05am
