Over the past few years, it's been easy to look at the six-year contract the Detroit Tigers handed out to Javier Baez, worth $140 million, and say it is one of the worst contracts in baseball. Before the 2025 season, there was very little argument against that reality. But after a season where Baez embraced versatility and a new role in the outfield, he suddenly has renewed value on the Tigers' roster.
Don't get us wrong, it's still a bad contract, and Baez is being overpaid — but it's not as egregious as it once was.