The age of Miguel Cabrera has gotten the better of him throughout the past two years. Last year, the Detroit Tigers first baseman endured his worst-ever campaign. Now, he’s forced to miss the rest of this season.
Miguel Cabrera was the foundation of the Detroit Tigers. During his first few seasons on the squad, he looked poised to break several team records and easily hit himself into the Hall of Fame.
Now the aging first baseman’s body won’t let him play, nor cap off a tremendous career.
Miguel Cabrera has endured multiple injuries since 2015, involving his calves, back and groin. He faced another setback Tuesday night, though this one was more severe – a ruptured biceps tendon.
The 35-year-old’s season is over, as he will require surgery to repair his left arm. One forceful swing of the bat was the culprit.
BREAKING: Miguel Cabrera will have season-ending surgery for a ruptured biceps tendon that he suffered on this play during the Tigers' 6-4 loss to the Twins. pic.twitter.com/QwQc2msRxA
— Stadium (@Stadium) June 13, 2018
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While Miguel Cabrera didn’t sport his usual numbers this year, he was improving. Last year was arguably the worst season of his 16-year career. But even then, he was able to play 130 games.
This will be the first year in which the Venezuelan failed to play in 100 games since his rookie season. And it brings his quest to 500 home runs to a halt. Currently at 465, Cabrera may never reach the storied feat.
The first baseman has been one of the best hitters in the MLB since he entered the league. He boasts a career .316/.395/.551 slash. He finished in the top five in the MVP race in seven different seasons – he won back-to-back awards in 2012 and 2013.
Age got the best of Cabrera in 2017. Now it’s essentially kicked him to the floor and won’t let up. The less durable the franchise first baseman is, the more disappointed fans will be when looking at his contract.
Cabrera still has five years left with more than $150 million in play. Yikes.
How does this affect the Tigers?
Detroit already has a backup plan. It had one the entire year.
Both Niko Goodrum and John Hicks garnered time at first up to this point. In fact, those two played more games at first combined than Cabrera. And both were more productive in that position when they played.
The Tigers will likely slide Hicks to the corner infield spot, given that James McCann earns four-fifths of the starts behind the plate. Goodrum has earned playing time in just about every position. Thus, he can platoon at first when necessary.
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In regards to the future, it is unknown how Detroit’s front office will maneuver around Cabrera’s gargantuan deal. He won’t become a free agent until 2024, at the age of 40.
Hicks has played the position admirably, but he’s already 28, so his potential is less than most others. Just one first baseman is listed in the team’s top-30 prospects per MLB.com – Reynaldo Rivera. And the team didn’t use a high pick in the draft to select a first baseman.
Thus, the front office will likely choose to stick with Cabrera. However, the Tigers have to have multiple backup plans – hopefully, not as far as plan Z.
The lack of durability caught up with Cabrera – and Detroit – swiftly. Two years ago, he smacked 30-plus home runs while hitting better than .300. He was an All-Star.
Now, Cabrera is a shell of his former self. And thanks to continuous wear and tear on his body, his future with the Tigers remains unpredictable.
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Surely, baseball fans are pulling for the veteran to make a valiant comeback in the coming years. But at this point, it seems like Miguel Cabrera is engaged in an uphill battle.
And so far, he’s not winning.