There are few players who have been more polarizing in recent seasons than New York Mets shortstop Javier Baez. If he’s on your team, you love him. If he isn’t, you absolutely despise him.
Well, let’s take a step back from that statement. He was loved by Cubs fans when he was in Chicago, helping the franchise to its first World Series title in 108 years. However, since being traded by the Cubs to the Mets before this year’s trade deadline, the man known as El Mago (The Magician) has had very few tricks up his sleeve.
A beloved and hated MLB player in one
Slashing just .196/.260/.370 in his first 50 plate appearances with the Mets, Baez has posted a 71 OPS+. And his recent swing and miss is symbolic of how his time has been in Queens as well as New York’s collapse in the National League East standings.
This swing by Javy Baez 😬 pic.twitter.com/WwTrwyFOuG
— MLB Errors (@mlberrors) August 24, 2021
But when Baez is at his best is when he’s frustrating the other team (we’re looking at you, Pittsburgh) or talking smack after a walkoff homer. Who wouldn’t want to see him as a heel in the ring cutting a promo about how he’s going to win the title?