Detroit Tigers: Time for Miguel Cabrera to become full-time DH?

Detroit Tigers superstar Miguel Cabrera will be looking to bounce-back in 2019. Will he be best positioned to regain his All-Star status as a full-time DH?

A not-so-distant time ago, many regarded Detroit Tigers first baseman and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera as the best hitter in the game. From 2010-16, Cabrera, who first became a Tiger in 2008, appeared in seven consecutive All-Star games, won two MVP awards, four batting titles and a Triple Crown.

Over the past two seasons, however, Cabrera hasn’t performed at the same level. In 2017, Cabrera battled multiple injuries and hit just .249/.329/.399 (93 OPS+) with 16 homers and 60 RBI through 130 games. While he appeared to be swinging the bat a little better last season, a biceps injury cut his season short after just 38 games. Overall, he hit .299/.395/.448 (130 OPS+) with three home runs and 22 RBI across 157 plate appearances.

Recently, Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press suggested that it is time for Cabrera to become a full-time designated hitter. After Victor Martinez retired last fall, it created a void in the DH spot that has yet to be filled. Seidel argues that moving Cabrera to DH could very well be the best way to get the most out of him for the remainder of his contract ($154 million through 2023 with $30 million vesting options for both 2024 and 2025).

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Per Seidel, GM Al Avila has already said that he and manager Ron Gardenhire have spoken to Cabrera about the chance that he could be DHing more often. Cabrera also seems amenable to the prospect of seeing more time in the DH spot. However, for Cabrera to become a full-time DH, there might be an obstacle or two to work around

As Seidel notes, aside from Cabrera, the Tigers currently have two other players who can play first base in John Hicks and Niko Goodrum, but they could need both players elsewhere on the diamond. Hicks is slated to serve as the Tigers’ backup catcher, and Goodrum is the favorite to be the starter at second base.

Although there was talk of Nicholas Castellanos perhaps making the move to first base, it now appears that he will be back in right field in 2019. Moreover, it seems quite likely that Castellanos’ name could appear on the trading block this summer, meaning the Tigers might be wise to consider a more permanent, or at least a season-long, solution at first base.

At this point, perhaps it could still be within the realm of possibility that the Tigers could consider bringing in a free agent. If they do choose to go that route, one player who might be worth looking at is Logan Morrison. Last season, Morrison hit just .186/.276/.368 (73 OPS+) with 15 home runs and 39 RBI for the Minnesota Twins, but he is only two years removed from a 38-homer campaign with the Tampa Bay Rays.

According to “97.1 The Ticket,” it was also reported that the Tigers were one of three teams in attendance for Adrian Gonzalez‘s tryout/showcase as well. However, Gonzalez has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, so he would clearly be a bit of a lottery ticket.

Historically, it is also worth pointing out that Cabrera’s numbers haven’t been quite as good in the DH spot, compared to when he is playing in the field. The lifetime .316/.395/.551 hitter has hit just .268/.331/.419 over a sample size of 97 games as a DH.

Still, if Cabrera isn’t a regular DH next season, it is probably inevitable that he will become one at some point down the road. It will be interesting to see how smoothly the transition will go for Cabrera and the Tigers.