MLB stars congratulate Miguel Cabrera on his 3000th hit – ESPN

Miguel Cabrera has joined an elite club, recording his 3,000th career hit with a single off Antonio Senzatela against the Colorado Rockies. Cabrera is also just the seventh player in major league history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez.

Cabrera has been an utter force of nature at the plate from nearly the moment he entered the league, and he is still a daunting presence in his 20th season. A career .310 hitter, he led major league baseball in batting average four times, hitting over .320 for five years straight. He won the 2012 AL MVP with a .330/.393/.606 line, earning the first Triple Crown in 45 years, and won the MVP award again the next year by hitting .348/.442/.636, with 44 home runs in both seasons. In addition to those laurels, Cabrera has won seven Silver Sluggers and helped lead the Marlins to the 2003 World Series title.

As befitting his status as a universally respected veteran, Cabrera’s accomplishment was celebrated by some of the biggest names in baseball.