One borderline curveball, one quick hook, and all of Comerica Park was on its feet.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Detroit Tigers CF Javier Báez took a 79-mph curveball from San Francisco Giants starter Hayden Birdsong that Statcast showed dipping below the strike zone. Home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi rung him up anyway, igniting the first flash point in what became the headline-grabbing Javier Báez ejection.
Javier Báez ejection
Javier Báez Charges, Coaches Step In
Báez spun, shouted, and charged toward Cuzzi. Third-base coach Joey Cora and teammate Gleyber Torres immediately intercepted the infielder, bear-hugging him and dragging him back toward Detroit’s dugout. Cuzzi tossed Báez on the spot, and the veteran continued jawing as he disappeared down the tunnel—capping the fiery Javier Báez ejection sequence.
Javier Báez had to be held back after being ejected from today’s game following an egregious strike-three call by Phil Cuzzi…#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/8ke4h8xhJA
— Inside The Diamond (@InsideTheDiamnd) May 26, 2025
Pitch Chart Tells the Story
Beat writer Evan Petzold posted MLB’s strike-zone graphic to X, and pitch No. 7—the called strike—appears clearly below the knees. Fans voiced their displeasure, showering Cuzzi with boos while the Tigers clung to a 1-0 lead.
Bottom Line: Too Quick to Eject
Cuzzi’s strike-three call wasn’t just borderline—it was flat-out bad, and ejecting Báez before manager A.J. Hinch could even reach home plate only poured fuel on an already raging fire. A cooler head — Hinch’s, not Báez’s — might have defused the situation, but instead the umpire’s quick trigger turned one blown call into the day’s biggest controversy.