It’s far too early to draw any conclusions or, frankly, make any assumptions, about what this all might look like in six weeks.

But on a sunny Saturday on the back fields at TigerTown, it sure was good to see Javier Báez with a smile on his face, breezing through a round of infield drills, taking his turn in batting practice, getting his swings and even mixing in a clutch knock.

“Runners at second and third, you got one swing to knock in two runs,” yelled out assistant hitting coach Keith Beauregard from behind the cage.

Baez stepped in and lined what would have been a double into the left field corner.

“For right now, I feel good,” Báez said. “I’ve just started swinging 100% a couple of weeks ago. But it feels pretty fluid. … I feel much better. Seeing the ball better off machine pitching. But we’ll see when it’s time to face live pitching.”

Báez is 32 and making the arduously slow trek back from surgery on his right hip that ended his season last August. With the first official full-squad working looming Monday, he still needs to pass a running test before he can be cleared for full participation.

But he is on a good track to start the season on time.

“He’s trending toward being healthy,” manager AJ Hinch said. “Hopefully he can play with some freedom knowing some of the ailments he’s been trying to overcome the last couple of years have been resolved.

“He is happy. He sat in on our pitchers and catchers meeting today, which was fun. Everybody is happy to see Javy.”

There are still more questions than answers regarding Báez. He’s at the midpoint of his six-year, $140 million contract, with $73 million left. He’s coming off two substandard offensive seasons and the Tigers made their playoff run last season with rookie Trey Sweeney competently manning the shortstop position.

How exactly will Báez fit into this 2025 puzzle?

“We want him here,” Hinch said. “We like him. We want him to be the best player he can be. He can really help us. Wherever that slots in, I am kind of refusing to talk about it until I see him healthy and free of this (hip) issue.”

The left-handed heavy Tigers (Sweeney bats left-handed) could absolutely use a healthy Báez right-handed punch. Could he end up in a lefty-righty platoon role?

“We have to get him on the field before I can really answer that question,” president Scott Harris said. “But I feel a whole lot better about the shortstop position now that he has had the surgery and he’s feeling better and he’s looking better. But I also feel better now that we have Trey Sweeney, who has emerged as one of the guys who is just starting to see the game slow down a little bit.”

The clubhouse did get a jolt of energy when Báez walked in Saturday. That was undeniable.

“As we’re getting to know him, we are learning how important winning is to him and how important it is for him to be there for his teammates,” Hinch said. “The game stuff is a small snippet to see. He is beloved because of the time, the effort, the energy, the personality, the vibe — everything is awesome about Javy.

“Now the time has come for him to tackle some of the things he needs to get better at on the field. He’s a dynamic player and too many times we can forget the good he’s done as a Tiger and the good he’s done in his career and just how impactful he can be.”

His last hit before shutting it down last year, case in point, was a go-ahead home run on Aug. 15 that helped the Tigers complete a three-game sweep of the Mariners. The last thing he wanted to do at that point was leave the team.

“I hate it,” he said. “I would’ve preferred not to get surgery. But it obviously helped me. The day after the surgery I felt like I had more balance and I was able to be (aligned) more straight. I never had surgery before so it was hard for me, this slow process. But I trust the surgeon and what they say about it.

“I feel good.”

Báez did his rehab at Comerica Park as the Tigers went on their run. Which was both a blessing and a curse for Báez.

“It was very hard,” he said. “After the surgery I was working out like I was coming back for the playoffs and I still had like four months to go. Just to see the guys having fun and winning and getting into the playoffs, I mean, obviously I need to get better this year and try to help take them to the playoffs again.”

A couple of reporters walking back to the clubhouse from the back fields Saturday were startled by a loud bleating horn and had to scamper off the sidewalk to let a golf cart, which had stealthily snuck up on them, pass. Báez, laughing from the passenger seat, still had his hand on the horn as it rolled on by.

Welcome back, Javy.