ST. LOUIS — It’s not a surprise, but Detroit Tigers veteran Miguel Cabrera has reaffirmed his plan for the future.
“Two more years,” Cabrera said. “That’s it.”
In an interview Wednesday morning with ESPN’s Sage Steele, Cabrera discussed his Hall of Fame career, reaching 500 home runs Sunday in Toronto and his chase for 3,000 hits, which he needs 42 hits to accomplish.
But the 38-year-old also talked about retirement.
“My right knee is really bad,” Cabrera said. “I need to take care of this in the offseason and prepare myself for next season. I say two more years. I think that’s enough. I will be happy with 20 years in the big leagues if I can make it. Thank God for giving me this opportunity. Two more years and I’m done.”
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After earning $30 million in 2021, he is owed $32 million in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
If Cabrera reaches 3,000 hits, he will join six players in MLB history to tackle No. 500 and No. 3,000: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez. The Tigers have 34 games remaining this season.
“It’s going to be hard,” Cabrera said. “I have to get one or two hits every time I play, but nothing is impossible. I believe I can make it. Hopefully, I can do it this year.”
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Over 19 seasons, Cabrera has 2,958 hits, 1,500 runs scored, 592 doubles, 501 home runs and 1,786 RBIs in 2,558 games, along with a .311 batting average. During his 2012 and 2013 American League MVP campaigns, Cabrera hit .338 with 88 home runs — 44 long balls each year — and 276 RBIs across 309 games.
Along with winning a pair of AL MVP awards, Cabrera is a 2012 Triple Crown winner, an 11-time All-Star, a seven-time Silver Slugger and a four-time AL batting champion. He won the 2003 World Series with the Miami Marlins during his rookie season.
“I’m going to feel more proud if in my last two years here in Detroit we can win a championship,” Cabrera said. “I think the city of Detroit, the Tigers’ organization, they deserve this. They deserve to win a championship. Hopefully, we can do that.”
Evan Petzold is a sports reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.
