Cubs rout Rockies 16-5 behind another big game from Javy Baez

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The Cubs’ Javy Baez (left) is congratulated by teammate Albert Almora Jr. after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning Friday at Coors Field. | David Zalubowski/AP

DENVER — One day, his manager calls him Willie Mays on the bases. Another day, he draws comparisons to Manny Ramirez at the plate. Yet another, it’s Roberto Alomar in the field.

‘‘As long as I’m seeing the ball good, it doesn’t matter who the hell I look like,’’ said Cubs second baseman Javy Baez, whose hitting and baserunning again helped set the tone in a 16-5 rout Friday of the Rockies at Coors Field.

But when it comes to Baez these days, it’s less a question about whom he looks like than where the Cubs would be without him.

He’s their most versatile and gifted infielder, their most aggressive and tag-defying baserunner and might be the best overall athlete on their roster.

And with a career-high-tying four-hit game Friday, he’s on the kind of hitting tear that invites visions of next levels and All-Star Games.

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‘‘It’s unbelievable to watch,’’ said winning pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who gave up three runs in the first inning before retiring 14 of the last 17 batters he faced. ‘‘The talent on both sides of the ball, baserunning, everything. Everything the guy does is unbelievable.

‘‘And it’s really holding this team together. He’s doing a lot of good things for us. He’s been the leader of this team lately, how hot he’s been, for sure.’’

On this night, Baez hit an opposite-field home run to right field on the third pitch of the game, doubled, singled twice, drove in four runs and inspired chants of ‘‘Ja-vy! Ja-vy! Ja-vy!’’ in a stadium 1,000 miles away from Wrigley Field.

Even when he ‘‘forgot’’ Kris Bryant was batting in the fifth and took off for third on a grounder to short because he thought the area was vacated by the Anthony Rizzo shift, he eluded the tag with a slide inside the bag. He then scored the go-ahead run on Rizzo’s grounder.

‘‘It worked,’’ he said sheepishly.

And it’s debatable whether that was even his best game of the week.

‘‘I like what he’s doing right now,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. ‘‘Listen, when you’re driving [the ball to the] opposite-field gap, that’s really

attractive. You can hit anybody when you’re doing that. Anybody.’’

In the last eight games, he’s 14-for-35 (.400) with six homers, a triple, three doubles, 16 RBI and a 1.057 slugging percentage.

Other Cubs have had big games, especially the last two days, including Albert Almora Jr. from the leadoff spot (career-high four hits Friday) and Kyle Schwarber, who hit a three-run homer and added an RBI single in the rout.

But if this warming trend at the plate for Baez has staying power, the No. 9 overall draft pick in 2011 well might become the ninth player on the Cubs’ roster with an All-Star selection.

‘‘I haven’t seen one out-of-control swing in two or three games,’’ Maddon said, ‘‘the kind when he comes unglued, when I reference him as John Daly. I’ve seen him swing and miss, but [it’s] a much more controlled swing and miss.’’

Baez makes no promises about keeping his swing under control all the time. He likes to swing big, and he’s not afraid to say so.

In fact, he’s not even trying to hit the ball the opposite way as much as he’s just seeing the ball well and staying toward the middle, he said.

What could it all mean if this is anything close to the path his career is headed?

‘‘I don’t really like to set like a goal, but I know I’m good,’’ he said. ‘‘I know our team is good. We’ve got great talent. Just try and let the game come to me and go step by step, pitch by pitch, inning by inning and just not rush my game.’’

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