Danny Reagan was a one-woman man on Blue Bloods until the death of his wife, Linda — and that’s when fans began rooting for him to find someone new.
While Danny’s (Donnie Wahlberg) work dynamic with OG NYPD partner Jackie (Jennifer Esposito), was strictly platonic, viewers were hopeful for a romance between Danny and second partner Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez) not long after Linda’s (Amy Carlson) death in season 8.
However, it wasn’t until season 11 that Danny and Baez’s friendship started to become flirtatious. By the series end in December 2024, the cops hinted that they were ready to take the step to become romantic when Danny asked Baez out on a pizza date.
That hope may be snuffed out when the Blue Bloods’ spinoff, Boston Blue, premieres in October 2025 as Danny has a new partner — in a new city.
Baez Meets Danny
Baez made her Blue Bloods debut during season 3 when she was paired with Danny to investigate a Bonnie and Clyde-style robbery spree. Baez was previously assigned to the NYPD Joint Bank Robbery Task Force for three years before it was abolished. Danny, for his part, was working with temporary partners when the case came along as his longtime coworker Jackie left the NYPD earlier in the season.
Officially Partners
Baez remained Danny’s partner throughout the remainder of season 3 in 2013 — from episodes 17 through 23. However, many fans consider the start of season 4 to be the official beginning of their working relationship.
Baez Saves the Day
Baez showed she had Danny’s back during season 5, episode 12, when she saved his life. During the episode, Danny searched an abandoned building for a suspect named “Ghost,” when he got attacked and was unable to breathe. Baez came in at the last minute, knocking out the suspect and saving the day.
“You good?” Baez asked, to which a winded Danny replied, “Yeah.”
United Through Trauma
Danny and Baez bonded during season 11, episode 1, after being held hostage by a serial killer in a basement together. Danny eventually managed to get them both free, after which they both said, “I love you,” signifying their deep connection as friends and partners. They then exchanged looks, which some fans thought hinted that they had deeper feelings for each other.
Part of the Family
During the same season 11 episode, “Triumph Over Trauma,” Baez was finally invited to the coveted Reagan family dinner. It was a turning point in her and Danny’s relationship.
“It’s eight years I’ve been there now, and it was actually very emotional for me on so many levels, which I didn’t share with anyone at the time,” Ramirez told Popculture.com in March 2021 of the pivotal scene.
Somebody to Lean On
During the season 12 finale, Baez adopted a baby girl after her mother was killed in a bomb blast. Danny was supportive of his partner from the start, telling her, “Well, [the baby’s] very lucky because you’re going to make one hell of a mom.”
Baez replied, “I hope so. I never thought that I wanted kids, but after seeing her, I just couldn’t stop thinking about her.” Danny vowed to support her journey, adding, “If you need anything, ever, I’m here for you.”
Pizza My Heart
When Blue Bloods ended after 14 seasons in December 2024, fans were left with a romantic cliffhanger involving Danny and Baez.
“I always told you not to bring the job home,” Danny’s grandfather, Henry Reagan (Len Cariou) told him at the time, adding that the “problem now is you have no one not to bring it home to.”
Henry then told Danny to promise he’d “find that someone” after this case, which is exactly what he did. Danny had a sweet moment with Baez shortly thereafter, when he said, “I was actually just thinking about something that my grandfather said to me. Do you want to get a pizza?”
“I think they stand in the doorway of possibility,” Wahlberg exclusively told Us Weekly about the romantic gesture.
The Boston Blues
In the first trailer for Boston Blue, which premieres in October 2025, Danny moves from New York to Boston. While chasing a suspect he is ordered to stop by Boston detective Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green). Despite butting heads to start, the pair soon become partners, and he even joins her family for Shabbat dinner.
While the new work partnership doesn’t mean that Baez will never be part of Danny’s life again, the actor hinted that the new Boston connection is strong. “It’s a phenomenal partnership, partially because they are both detectives from police families and it develops pretty quickly,” Wahlberg told TV Insider in September 2025. “They have this common thread where they can actually help each other and give each other perspective.”
