Detroit Tigers' Javier Báez ejected after bad call, heated exchange with umpire Phil Cuzzi
Javier Báez was upset.
So upset he had to be held back by third base coach Joey Cora and teammate Gleyber Torres after getting ejected by home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi in the fifth inning Monday, May 26, against the San Francisco Giants at Comerica Park. Báez and Cuzzi exchanged words — multiple times.
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Báez also tried to attack Cuzzi.
Thankfully, Cora and Torres teamed up to restrain him.
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Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch — who came out of the dugout to argue the pitch call but was not ejected — used his right arm to help Cora keep Báez away from Cuzzi before Torres arrived on the scene. From there, Hinch focused on his conversation with Cuzzi.
Báez was ejected for arguing a called-third strike.
The full-count pitch — a down-and-away curveball from Giants right-hander Haden Birdsong — was called a strike by Cuzzi, even though it was clearly off the plate.
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It should've been a ball.
Instead of drawing a walk, Báez was rung up on a missed call. He was allowed to express his displeasure immediately after the strikeout, but when his protest dragged on, he was promptly ejected for arguing balls and strikes.
That's when Báez tried to go after Cuzzi.
In the scuffle, Cora lost his helmet while restraining Báez.
But no one was injured.
In the 2025 season, Báez is hitting .286 with six home runs, five walks and 38 strikeouts in 45 games. He was replaced in center field by Matt Vierling in the sixth inning.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Javier Baez ejected by Phil Cuzzi after bad call
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