After a runner-up MVP performance last season, many wondered if Javy Báez would regress in 2019. It was a fair question considering just how good he had been and how he did it despite not really changing his hyper-aggressive approach. Thing is, stats don’t tell El Mago’s story. Sure, he hit 34 home runs and posted an .881 OPS to give him 6.3 WAR, but those can’t do justice to the magic he performs on the bases or the impossible tags and prowess he displays on defense.
So far in 2019, Báez has done anything but regress from his great season.