Miguel Cabrera, who joined the 3,000 hit club during the 2022 season, confirmed on Monday that his playing career will likely conclude sometime next year. "It feels a little weird to say that," he told MLB.com's Christina De Nicola. "I thought I'm not going to say never, but I think it's time to say goodbye to baseball."
Cabrera, 39, added that he would like to remain a member of the Detroit Tigers organization, with whom he'd like to assist younger players.
Miguel Cabrera also said he'd like to stay involved in Tigers organization and help young players once his own playing career is over.
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) November 28, 2022
"I have time to decide, but my goal is to stay in baseball, try to help, because I love baseball," he said.
Cabrera's announcement should come as no surprise. If anything, it was a predictable outcome given that the guaranteed portion of his contract runs through next season. (He'll make $32 million in 2023 before being owed an $8 million buyout on a pair of club options.) Cabrera's contract has kept him on the roster despite a cratered level of production. Indeed, he hasn't posted an OPS+ of 100 or better since 2020, and he hasn't topped the 110-mark since 2018.
Nevertheless, Cabrera is certain to find himself in Cooperstown someday. In addition to 3,000 hits, he's also collected more than 500 home runs and is a 12-time All-Star (he was named to last summer's event by commissioner Rob Manfred) and a two-time Most Valuable Player Award recipient, with his most recent victory coming on the heels of a Triple Crown win in 2013.
Cabrera has hit .308/.384/.524 (142 OPS+) with 67.7 Wins Above Replacement for his career. Roughly 50 of those WAR came with the Tigers, ranking him 13th all-time in Detroit history.
The Tigers originally acquired Cabrera (along with former lefty Dontrelle Willis) as part of a blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins in December 2007.
