Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera latest member of 500 home run club

Heading into Sunday, the 500 Home Run Club had 27 members. It seemed to be a matter of time before another player joined that illustrious group, as Detroit Tigers‘ first baseman Miguel Cabrera was sitting on 499 homers. However, he had hit just two homers this month, his last coming against Matt Harvey back on August 11.

The wait is now over. Cabrera took a curve off the plate outside from Steven Matz over the fence to right center, finally hitting his 500th career homer.

Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera finally joins 500 Home Run Club

Cabrera had started to look like his former self over the past month. Since July 23, he had produced a .284/.376/.506 batting line, hitting five homers and three doubles. He may not have been the same player he was in his heyday, but there appeared to be some life in his bat once again.

But one could tell that Cabrera had been pressing at the plate. Since belting his 499th career homer, he had entered a miserable slump, with just four hits in his last 33 plate appearances entering Sunday. He was clearly feeling the pressure as the weight of history was upon his shoulders.

And now, that moment has come. Cabrera has knocked down one major milestone, with others in his sight. He is also closing in on the 3000 hit plateau, where he would become just the 33rd player in MLB history to reach that mark. He would also be the seventh player to hit at least 500 homers and reach the 3000 hit mark, joining a very eclectic group that welcomed Albert Pujols back on May 4, 2018.

Those 3000 hits will have to wait. For now, Cabrera can revel in the knowledge that he has joined one exclusive group of baseball’s immortals, one of 28 players to do so. Even if time is catching up to Cabrera, he is catching up to some of the more hallowed milestones in baseball history, with his homer on Sunday just the latest mark to fall.

Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera has finally done it – in taking Steven Matz deep to right center, he has joined the 500 Home Run Club.