Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera slowly approaching two major milestones

The Detroit Tigers got blown out by the Cleveland Indians on Monday, but history ends up being the main talking point for fans in Michigan. Specifically, history surrounding Miguel Cabrera.

Cabrera had two hits in the 13-5 loss and one went out for a home run. That means he now has 493 career home runs along with his 2,915 career hits. So while the chase for 500 is in focus, every ball that doesn’t go over the fence also adds to the chase for 3,000.

Miguel Cabrera can cement his legacy in 2021

Let’s start with the home run conversation. Cabrera is now seven home runs away from 500 with nearly half the season remaining. That is an interesting number, because he only has six home runs so far this season.

Cabrera is no longer the player who once routinely hit over 30 home runs per season. He only had 10 during the shortened 2020 season and only had 12 the year before that. But there is no reason why he can’t finish the year with 13 to get to 500 for his career. It almost feels to weird to say Cabrera may not finish a season with 13 blasts, but that is just how his career has gone here in the final years.

As for the hits, that is a tougher milestone to reach in 2021. He needs 85 more, which would give him a total of 134 on the season. He did have 139 hits in 2019, however, his current pace is cutting it close. Getting his average up from .230 to around even .250 could help him achieve this goal right before the end of the season.

Cabrera is still under a guaranteed contract through the 2023 season, so if he doesn’t achieve the milestones this year it’s not like that is it for his career. Yet his playing time will likely decrease as the Tigers keep getting younger and it would be nice for him to reach these milestones in 2021 while he is still a somewhat regular player in the lineup.