Cubs fans honor ‘El Mago's’ return to Wrigley

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO – When Javier Báez stepped into the batter’s box on Tuesday night, the crowd inside Wrigley Field rose to its feet and offered the former Cubs star cheers that grew in volume as the seconds passed. The Tigers shortstop raised his helmet as the roar around him began to turn into a familiar chant.

For old time’s sake, Báez was serenaded with calls of, “Javy! Javy! Javy!”

“They know I played for the fans,” Báez said.

This series marked Báez’s first time playing in Wrigley Field since the Cubs traded him to the Mets at the 2021 Trade Deadline in the deal that netted Pete Crow-Armstrong. Báez was dealt away along with stars Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, as Chicago’s front office started turning the page on the previous era with the goal of replenishing the Minor Leagues and constructing a new core.

The Cubs now boast one of baseball’s best farm systems, but have yet to return to the postseason. And while the careers of Báez, Bryant and Rizzo have taken downturns since their days with the Cubs, their part in ending the franchise’s 108-year World Series drought with the 2016 title has cemented their place in club history.

“Those guys haven’t had the success that they had here elsewhere,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “But I don’t think that takes away from what happened here. We had a really successful run with those guys. For generations, they should be coming back here [to be celebrated].”

Báez said he thinks about the ‘16 World Series “every day, to be honest,” adding that he has a tattoo of the trophy. He said that Cubs team eight years ago took on the attitude that they “weren’t afraid of anyone,” leading to their run through the Giants, Dodgers and Cleveland en route to Chicago’s first World Series triumph since 1908.

“It’s one of the things that no one will take from you,” Báez said. “You're always going to be a champion here.”

In parts of eight seasons with the Cubs, Báez was a two-time All-Star (2018-19), Gold Glove winner (2020 at shortstop) and the National League’s runner-up for the MVP Award in 2018. In 815 regular-season games, he launched 140 home runs, legged out 151 doubles, stole 76 bases, scored 419 runs and collected 754 hits.

“In the field. On the bases. At the bat. He just impacted the game everywhere,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Báez’s prime with the North Siders. “And he certainly did it with an entertaining flair that was fun to watch.”

Báez’s acrobatic way of playing earned him the nickname, “El Mago” (“The Magician” in Spanish). That moniker was displayed on the nameplate the Cubs’ visiting clubhouse hung at Báez’s locker this week.

Asked for some of his favorite memories from playing in Wrigley Field, Báez pointed to his 13th-inning walk-off home run on Mother’s Day in ‘16. The 31-year-old shortstop also mentioned when he had the chance to go inside the old ballpark’s famous manual scoreboard to get a different perspective on the Cubs’ home field.

“There's many plays and many hits that are really special for me in this ballpark,” Báez said.

Hoyer brought up Báez’s eighth-inning homer off Johnny Cueto that delivered a 1-0 win in Game 1 of the NL Division Series, noting the emphatic bat flip on a blast that landed in the left-field basket. Hoyer also mentioned the wild play on May 27, 2021, when Báez hit a grounder, stopped on his way to first and turned around and ran back home. That set off a bizarre sequence against the Pirates that led to a run and Báez somehow reaching second safely.

“Whatever you want to call the play in Pittsburgh, that was one of those moments I’ll never forget,” Hoyer said. “We used to say he was invisible. He would just run and somehow the end result would be safe. And I’ve never seen anything like that [in] all my time in baseball – Javy’s ability to just run and somehow Matrix his body in a way to be safe.

“He’s a special player and a special entertainer.”