Tigers star Miguel Cabrera will play his 21st big-league season in 2023 at age 40. On Monday, he revealed that it would also likely be his last.
The future Hall of Famer told MLB.com that he expects next year to be his last as an MLB player. The two-time American League MVP said he hopes to get through the season healthy and to help the Tigers win more games.
“I think it’s going to be my last year,” Cabrera said. “It feels a little weird to say that. I thought I wasn’t going to say that ever. But I think it’s time to say goodbye to baseball.”
Cabrera believes that the Tigers have the pieces to be better in 2023 than they were in ’22, when they finished 66–96 and came in fourth place in the AL Central. He said he’s ready to play whenever manager A.J. Hinch says, and that he’s not concerned about whether or not he’ll be an everyday player. Cabrera is entering the final year of his eight-year, $248 million contract he signed ahead of the ’16 season.
Cabrera played in 112 games last year, finishing with a .254/.305/.317 slash line with five home runs and 43 RBIs. He recorded his 3,000th career hit, becoming the seventh player in MLB history to have at least 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.
When Cabrera finally does finish his playing career, he said he hopes to remain with the Tigers organization in some capacity.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with my family, with A.J.,” Cabrera said. “A.J.’s a great leader. We’ll see if I can stay in the organization, help young guys. I don’t know yet. I’ve got time to decide. But my goal is to stay in baseball and try to help a lot of people. Because I love baseball. Why would I go away?”
