The Detroit Tigers are turning back to veteran Javier Baez as they open a series Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Baez is in the starting lineup after sitting out Detroit’s most recent game, a 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He will play left field and bat ninth.
The Tigers enter the matchup after dropping eight of their last 10 games. They are looking for a rebound against one of the National League’s strongest clubs.
Managerial staff posted the batting order ahead of first pitch. Gleyber Torres will lead off at second base. Hao-Yu Lee is hitting second and playing third. Kevin McGonigle is at shortstop and batting third.
Dillon Dingler will catch and hit fourth. Eliezer Valencia is the designated hitter in the fifth spot. Brant Malgeri is in right field and batting sixth.
Spencer Torkelson is at first base and hitting seventh. Max Clark is in center field in the eighth spot. Baez closes out the order in left.
Baez is coming off a four-game hitting streak. He will try to push that streak to five games against Los Angeles pitching.
The 13-year veteran has appeared in 43 games this season. He has two home runs, 14 RBI and a .262 batting average.
Those numbers follow an All-Star campaign last year. In 126 games, Baez hit 12 home runs, drove in 57 runs and batted .257.
Detroit is hoping the veteran can provide a spark after a slump that has stretched across the past week and a half. The club has struggled to generate consistent offense, including the shutout against Tampa Bay.
Baez has filled multiple roles for the Tigers this year. Moving him to left field for the series opener is one of several adjustments in the lineup.
The Tigers need production from the bottom of the order as well as the top. Placing Baez ninth gives him a chance to drive in runs if the first eight hitters get on base.
Los Angeles presents a tough test. The Dodgers have been among the league’s most consistent teams, and Detroit will have to play cleaner baseball than it did against the Rays.
Baez’s recent stretch at the plate is one of the few bright spots for Detroit. Extending that run would give the Tigers a lift as they try to stop their slide.
How much impact he has Friday remains to be seen. The Tigers will watch closely to see whether the veteran can turn a modest hitting streak into something more useful for a team that has lost its way of late.
The series against the Dodgers begins Friday. Detroit is counting on Baez and a reshuffled lineup to produce a better result than the one it posted against Tampa Bay.
