After playing 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), Miguel Cabrera has hung up his cleats. On Sunday (October 1), the Venezuelan first baseman for the Detroit Tigers wrapped up his career with a 5-2 win against the Cleveland Guardians – and it couldn’t have ended more poetically for the veteran ballplayer.
In the eighth inning, Cabrera took the field at Comerica Park for the last time with a stadium full of fans cheering him on as he jogged to first base. Earlier that day, the team decided they would let Cabrera take the field alone, so he could enjoy the ovation he deserved and let the moment sink in.
Guardians’ outfield Steven Kwan then hit a grounder to Cabrera who fielded the ball and beat Kwan back to the bag for the first out of the inning. Cabrera exited the game right after – a perfect ending.
“To come back to first base for one out, it was another dream come true,” Cabrera said. “I thought I was never going to play in the field again because of my injuries.”
Throughout his career, Cabrera has etched his name in the record books numerous times, including in 2021 when he became the 28th player in MLB history to hit 500 home runs in his career. Cabrera won the World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003.
During the first inning, Cabrera’s children, Isabella, Christopher, and Brisel, announced his name from the broadcast booth.
It was a special day for Miguel Cabrera and his entire family.