Javier Baez continues to shine on the biggest stage for the Cubs this postseason. Baez impacted another game in the field and at the plate in the Cubs 8-4 win over the Dodgers. Baez has been a constant offensively and defensively throughout the tournament for Joe Maddon.
Baez had his first three-hit game of the postseason Thursday in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium. Baez went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a run scored and three RBI. Baez delivered the big hit in the five-run eighth inning, a bases clearing double that gave Cubs an 8-1 lead.
Defensively, Baez has been spectacular and added to what was already an incredible highlight reel this month. And his latest, the barehand pickup in Game 5 was nowhere near the routine play Baez made it appear to be.
Baez had an exchange of 0.57 seconds and he threw a 74 mph fastball to Anthony Rizzo.
And the double play from Game 2 …
Baez is 7-for-19 in the NLCS with four doubles, three runs scored and five RBI. Baez is hitting .368/.381/.579 with a .960 OPS.
Javier Baez is hitting .371/.395/.571 with a .966 OPS this postseason. Baez has hit safely in eight of the Cubs’ nine playoff games, with multi-hit games in four of the eight.
Summed up perfectly by Pelicans’ play-by-play man Scott Kornberg, “The extraordinary is routine for Javier Baez.”