El Mago Moments: Javier Baez's top five plays as a Cubs player

Dennis Wierzbicki - USA Today Sports

by Anthony Pasquale - Staff Writer - Wed Aug 21 17:30:01 GMT-05:00 2024

For the first time since he was traded at the 2021 trade deadline, Javier Baez will return to Wrigley Field as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

Javier Baez was in the Cubs organization since Jim Hendry was the general manager. In parts of 8 seasons in Chicago, Baez hit 140 home runs and was one of baseball’s most exciting players. He was a two-time All-Star, a gold glover, an NLCS Co-MVP, and a World Champion.

Baez, as instrumental as any player on the 2016 World Series team, earned the nickname ‘El Mago’ for good reason.

So, let’s reminisce and count down the top five Javier Baez moments during his tenure with the Cubs.

5. NLCS steal of home

Another steal of home cracks the list. Instead of on a pick-off attempt, this play was on a bunt attempt that ended up not being put in play. Baez was aggressively off third and faked like he was going back to third base to draw a throw and then took off for home as he was in no man’s land. The throw from Dodgers’ third baseman Justin Turner was late, and the Cubs scored on a Javy Baez steal of home.

Baez was the first Cubs player to steal home in a postseason game since Jimmy Slagle in Game 4 of the 1907 World Series.

4. Game-winning RBI in NLDS 2015

The Giants series in the 2015 NLDS was America’s invitation to the Javier Baez party. And to cap off a wild 4-run 9th-inning rally by the Cubs, it was an RBI single from Javier Baez that gave the Cubs the lead and eventually punched their ticket to the NLCS.

3. Run down against the Pirates in 2021

For a guy nicknamed ‘El Mago,’ there are a million plays that encapsulate Baez as a player — but none more than the run down vs Pittsburgh in 2021. Baez hit a slow roller to first with two outs and a runner on 2nd. As the first baseman charged to field the ball and tag Baez out, he stopped in his tracks and started jogging toward home plate. Instead of just turning around and stepping on first base to end the inning, the first baseman began to chase Baez toward home plate, which also gave Willson Contreras time to score from second base. The first basemen threw it home for the play at the plate. Contreras was safe, and Baez celebrated.

Then it clicked: he needed to get to first base for the run to even count. Two throwing errors later, Baez slid into second base — something only a magician could have pulled off.

2. Mother’s Day walk-off homer

On Mother’s Day in 2016, Javier Baez launched a walk-off home run in the 13th inning with his pink bat — and it was one of the first true season-defining moments for that 2016 group. Baez displayed his clutch gene and it also led to the mantra ‘Let Javy be Javy.’ The pink bat home run was so iconic that it doubled as a sports-illustrated cover later that year.

1. Game 1 of NLDS basket-homer in 2016

Perhaps the most influential home run of his career, the Cubs won 1-0 in their first postseason game of 2016 thanks to a basket-shot home run from Javier Baez in the 8th inning off of Johnny Cueto. Baez’s homer seemed to lift the weight of 108 years off the Cubs’ shoulders and remind them that they were the best team in the sport. For Baez, it was a clutch home run to open one of the all-time most entertaining post-seasons for any player.

Honorable mention: Puerto Rico no-look tag

While he wasn’t in a Cubs uniform for this highlight, it’d be hard to picture a cooler play than in the World Baseball Classic when Baez received a throw from Yadier Molina, and he tagged the runner and pointed to Molina all without looking at the ball. ‘El Mago’ strikes again!