MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – Javier Baez was removed in the top of the first inning Wednesday as the Milwaukee Brewers hit yet another Detroit Tigers batter in the hand.
Baez was hit in the hand by a Freddy Peralta fastball with two outs in the first inning, and he was immediately removed from the game. The team has not yet released any details about his injury.
The Tigers haven’t played Milwaukee often in recent years, since the two teams are in opposite leagues, but there’s a trend of Brewers pitchers hitting Tigers batters with errant pitches.
On Sept. 1, 2020, Phil Bickford made his MLB debut against the Tigers in a game the Brewers were losing 6-1. The very first batter he faced was JaCoby Jones, who was having a breakout season with an .849 OPS.
Bickford broke Jones’ hand, ending his season. He also hit the next batter, Emilio Bonifacio, in the hand. Jonathan Schoop had been hit by a pitch in the hand earlier in the game.
On Sept. 8, 2020, Adrian Houser hit Schoop on the hand in the fourth inning, forcing him to leave the game for a pinch runner. Schoop returned to the lineup the following day.
Jeimer Candelario was drilled by a high fastball from Peralta during a game between the Tigers and Brewers on Sept. 14, 2021. Schoop was also hit by Peralta later in that game.
Candelario, the team’s best player in 2021, didn’t end up missing time.
The Tigers and Brewers didn’t meet in 2022.
Baez has been hot since an early season slump, and the Tigers -- who have the worst offense in baseball for the second year in a row -- can hardly afford to lose him.
A.J. Hinch and company hope this is similar to the Schoop and Candelario situations, with Baez returning to the lineup Thursday. The Tigers will leave Milwaukee with a series win, and hopefully no more injuries.
