Miguel Cabrera’s contract extension with the Tigers runs through 2023, and the legendary hitter made clear he’s hoping to play out the deal. “I’ve got three years on my contract,” the 37-year-old told reporters (including Evan Woodbery of MLive) when asked how much longer he planned to play. “I don’t know what’s going to happen after my contract’s over. I’m focused on my contract and three more years and we’ll see what happens.” That’s not too surprising, given that Cabrera’s still due another $102MM after this season (including an $8MM buyout of his 2024 vesting option). The future Hall of Famer discussed the injuries that have weighed him down in recent years, as well as his hope of returning to first base after serving exclusively as a designated hitter this season. His full interview is a worthwhile read for Detroit fans.
More out of the American League
- Rangers designated hitter Shin-soo Choo is hoping to play in 2021, per MLB.com’s TR Sullivan (via Twitter). The 38-year-old is wrapping up a seven-year, $130MM deal with Texas. A longtime productive hitter, Choo has taken a big step back offensively this season as he nears free agency. He’s amassed just a .229/.317/.394 line. It’s the first year Choo has been below-average at the dish since he established himself as an everyday player back in 2008.
- The Twins saw a pair of key players leave last night’s game with injuries. Third baseman Josh Donaldson departed with a right calf cramp, while center fielder Byron Buxton suffered a head contusion, per Dan Hayes of the Athletic. Neither player is in tonight’s starting lineup. Ehire Adrianza stepped in at the hot corner yesterday, while Jake Cave came in to man center. Donaldson’s situation is particularly notable; he’s got a lengthy history of calf troubles and only just returned from an IL stint due to a calf strain. Buxton, meanwhile, was hit in the head by a Lucas Sims pitch, prompting his early exit. Minnesota is a game up on both the Indians and White Sox in the AL Central. [UPDATE: Buxton is dealing with mild concussion symptoms, relays Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. Donaldson is feeling better today and being held out as a precautionary measure, per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com].
- In better injury news for Minnesota, second baseman Luis Arraez has been activated from the injured list in advance of this evening’s contest. Arraez garnered some Rookie of the Year support last year thanks to his precocious bat-to-ball skills, as he hit .334/.399/.439 over 366 plate appearances. The 23-year-old hasn’t been as productive in his sophomore effort, but he remains one of the league’s toughest players to strike out.
Great player! Great Career#!. Cabrera should pass 500 home runs and 3,000 hits
in 2021!
That said, Miguel is primarily a DH at this point in his career. Cabrera needs to lose some weight, stay in shape and just maybe he makes it to the end of his contract. without a career ending injury…The Tigers will not be playing Miguel Cabrera @ 1B probably ever again. With his excessive weight, and lack of speed and movement on defense, Cabrera gets hurt whenever he plays defense.If all goes well with the Tigers rebuild, then Cabrera has the chance to compete for one last championship in the last 2 years on his contract.
I am a long time Tigers fan and have no knowledge of this rash of injuries where Miggy “gets hurt whenever he plays defense.”. Please enlighten me with some examples.
Agree. Miggy is just a tremendous player, heart and core of a very young but talented Tiger’s team. The weight? He can definitely afford best dietitians and related medical experts to definitely bringing back t shape. The knee? That just a different matter but the talent is definitely there to go on for three more years! So be it!
Miggy is playing at his lowest weight in over a decade. Please actually pay attention instead of posting the same rant that hasn’t been relevant for at least a decade. Miggy’s “weight” was muscle built up to ba a power hitter. He changed his work out routine over the off season to lose weight became se his knee couldn’t support it. Lost 30 lbs and has been working on getting his timing back. He’s been on quite a tear the last week or two. Last time he did that was the 2nd half of 2015. Popular opinion was he was fat and washed up and he put up very nice numbers in 2016. I expect next year will be similar to 2016.
People always want a reason to say a player is declining other than wear-and-tear and reduced bat speed. I’ve watched in amazement Bartolo Colon towards the end of his MLB career do pre-game stretches and long tosses. Dude was doing crazy toe grabs and splits and Ichiro-like throws as part of his routine without breaking a sweat.
102 million still owed. He would come back three more seasons in a wheel chair to collect the money. Ah, the modern baseball business.
And you wouldn’t?
Miggy loves playing the game as well so this isn’t just about the money. He wouldn’t retire even if he didn’t have that contract. Just hoping he can come back strong again next year. With his new physique I think he can get into a groove and show us all he has something left in the tank.
Depends on how many millions I already have to be honest. If I am broke, you can bet that I would do almost anything for that $102 million. However, if I already have $200 million in the bank, that $102 million might be significantly less important to me. I agree that at that point, the love of playing the game is what would be more important to me.
Money, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Many people would jump at a $100,000 a year job and others wouldn’t even consider it because it would be a significant pay cut.
That’s what the Tigers agreed to pay him over the next 3 years, so yeah her deserves to get his money.
He can waltz his way to 3,000 hits, 500 HRs and 600 doubles. He’s already a HOFer. May as well grab what money is owed to him.
The real question is will Miggy reach 40 career stolen bases before the end of the contract? Just one more.
He had his first stolen base in four years this season, so he’s trending in the right direction.
That’s what I’m saying. Hopefully this is the start of his “speed years” (not to be confused with Chris Davis’ “speed years”). He’s been saving his energy all this time. If he keeps not hitting doubles he can focus his energy towards swiping bags.
Let’s hope not. However, I once saw Dimitri Young steal 3rd in 2003 because the pitcher let him take a 45 ft lead so anything is possible.
Haha, Da Meat Hook, one of my favorite baseball nicknames.
I once saw Cecil Fielder steal second base uncontested as Chuck Knoblauch of the Twins ran out of the way because he said Fielder sounded like “a train coming” on the artificial turf in the Metrodome
Dude needs to drop some serious poundage.
Do you even have any idea what he weighs? Seen him at all this season? He’s considerably thinner than last year. How thin does he need to get? 180 lbs? Inquiring minds want to know.
Cabrera dropped some weight in the season. Then with the Covid 19 shutdown, it looks like he gained most of that weight back.
Cabrera’s leg and knee injuries are typical of players who are carrying too much weight on their frames. It is difficult to carry all that weight and play 100-150 games without tearing up your legs, knees, core etc…
Another Hall of Famer, Tony Gwynn, put on too much weight in the last years of his career and suffered the same chronic leg and knee problems that Cabrera is now suffering.,
It is not brain surgery…lose the weight and keep it off or
spend a lot of time on the DL his last 3 years.
Tigers management knows, and even Lloyd mentioned, it is not wise to play Cabrera in the field at this point in his career. He is not mobile. Cabrera’s risk of injury is very high..
Cabrera has been declining since the end of 2016.
MLB players rely on their legs and strength to hit and produce.
Cabrera has, obviously been fighting the injury bug since 2016 and his weight is a big part of it…moving around on defense exacerbates his leg, knee injury problems.. It is hard to hit like the younger Cabrera if he cannot use his legs and torso for maximum torque when he hits.
If he was healthy and producing like the younger Miguel Cabrera’
then many teams would be interested in trading for him.
Currently with Cabrera’s physical condition, lack of production and contract, he is un tradeable.
Cabrera will retire as a Tigers in 3 years.
A tribe fan not paying attention. Well there’s a surprise (that is sarcasm, for the sarcasm impaired).
Choo has been decent but definitely not worth the money the Rangers signed him for. Durability in the field is an issue moving forward but he may be able to land a DH job somewhere next season
it wouldnt shock me if Miggy bounced back a bit next year. even last year he hit over .280. obviously he wolnt play up to that contract, but the less he struggles the better regardless given that cost isnt going away.
Choo was definitely not worth the money but that off-season Rangers made a good decision. It could of been worse Yankees signed Ellsbury that year
Cabrera needed to stop being an everyday 1B, four years ago. Commit to him being a full-time DH and hopefully he will be healthy enough to cap a HOF career in style.
Cabrera will make 3,000 hits and 500 home runs next year if he has just an average season. Then, it is up to Cabrera whether he wants to go out with a bang or if he is just interested in cashing paychecks. Time will tell.. He was on track for 600 home runs if he kept his career average production up But, Cabrera has struggled offensively since 2016. If Cabrera can stay healthy and get his production back up, 600 home runs could be reachable @ 30+ per year. I have my doubts about that milestone.