The Chicago Cubs signaled the end of an era ahead of last season’s MLB trade deadline, as they shipped off multiple stars from their 2016 World Series-winning team, including shortstop Javier Baez. They wound up trading the two-time All-Star to the New York Mets.
On Thursday, Baez returned to the Windy City for the first time since his departure from the Cubs, as his Detroit Tigers club opened up a four-game road series with the Chicago White Sox. Before the series opener, he took some time to speak to 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine about his exit from the Cubs last year. In the end, he well recognized the business viewpoint regarding his move away from the Cubs.
“That is just the business side of baseball,” Baez said. “I am sure a lot of people wanted me to stay. I felt like it could happen, but there was always the business side.
“It was kind of hard to go through it. I am not the only one who was (traded). We went through the whole thing as a family, and now it feels good to be where we are at. I know there is a lot of talent here (in Detroit).”
Baez became a free agent for the first time in his career last year, and he ended up putting pen to paper on a six-year, $140 million deal with the Tigers. He did hold extension talks with the Cubs ahead of the 2020 season, but in the end, the two sides failed to reach an agreement on such a deal.
Looking back on the extension discussions that he held with Cubs team officials, Baez noted that he was “close” to signing off on a new contract.
“I know we were really close at one point,” Baez said. “But everything that happened around the world with the pandemic changed everything for everybody. I am happy and have no judgment about that. Everything happens for a reason. Who knows what would have happened if I would have stayed.”
Overall, the Cubs and Tigers are both off to roller-coaster starts in the 2022 campaign, as they each hold a win percentage under .430.
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