Ex-Cub Baez makes instant impact with Tigers

After breaking into the major leagues in 2014 and playing his first eight seasons with the Cubs, Javier Baez was traded to the Mets last July.

Baez didn't perform very well during his first month in New York, and Mets fans at Citi Field started showering him with boos.

Baez finally had enough in late August and spoke up after giving the crowd a thumbs-down sign.

"If we win together, then we've got to lose together," Baez said. "The fans are a really big part of it. In my case, they got to be better. I play for the fans and I love the fans, but if they're going to do that they're just putting more pressure on the team and that's not what we want."

Baez had a short stay with the Mets, and he now plays for the Tigers after signing a six-year, $140 million contract in November.

Debuting with Detroit in Friday's season opener against the White Sox at Comerica Park, Baez didn't get off to a promising start while striking out on wild swings in his first two at-bats.

Tigers fans did warm up to the new shortstop later in the game and were chanting "Javy" before he lifted Detroit to a 5-4 win over the Sox with a game-winning single in the ninth inning off the wall in right field.

"Obviously, really happy that we came back all the way," Baez said in a postgame TV interview on the field. "I told (manager) A.J. (Hinch) after the first two at-bats, 'I'm anxious, I've got to hit one.' He's like, 'Slow, down, it's the first game.'

"And then this happened. Fans, it's not going to be easy this year but it's going to be fun. We need your support. Let's go Tigers!"

Around the horn:

General manager Rick Hahn told reporters starting pitcher Johnny Cueto is in Arizona and will do some throwing before heading to Class AAA Charlotte and hopefully making 4-5 starts before joining the White Sox ... Hahn said third baseman Yoan Moncada (oblique strain) and relief pitcher Joe Kelly (biceps) will both need rehab assignments at Charlotte. Moncada could be back in three weeks and the Sox hope to have Kelly sometime in May.