‘I'm not an animal': Tigers' Javier Baez reacts to being ejected from Memorial Day MLB game vs the Giants

Hindustan Times

26-05-2025

Detroit Tigers' Javier Baez clarified what caused him to lose it at the home plate umpire on Monday, saying that the reaction wasn't about the call.
Baez was so enraged by a called strike three that he had to be held back during the Tigers' 3-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Memorial Day.
After the game, Baez told reporters that he had only said that it wasn't 'a f–king strike.'
'That's the only thing I said. And then he said, 'Don't point at it. Walk out.' And then I said, 'What do you mean, walk out? I'm asking you something,' and then he just threw me out,' Baez was quoted by the Detroit Free Press as saying.
The shortstop insisted that his reaction wasn't over the call but rather over the way the umpire spoke.
'It's not even about the call. It's about how he treated me. I'm not an animal. We can talk. We can argue. And that's it. If he would've told me, 'OK, I missed it,' I would've f–king shut up. I know he's not perfect, but don't treat me like that,' he added.
The incident happened during the Detroit Tigers' fifth inning when home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi called Javier Baez out on a 3-2 pitch that appeared outside the strike zone.
Enraged at the decision, the Tigers' shortstop quickly began arguing with the umpire. Several times during the word exchange, it appeared as though Baez was going to walk away. But he re-engaged several times before the home plate umpire finally tossed him from the game.
The already angry Baez attempted to charge back toward the umpire after being ejected. He needed to be held back by third base coach Joey Cora and teammate Gleyber Torres.
'Javy Baez is incensed. I don't know what was said, but Javy is livid. AJ Hinch was one step away, but Phil Cuzzi threw out Javy Baez, and Javy's going to leave this game,' a Tigers' broadcaster said on-air