Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera will miss the rest of the season after rupturing his left biceps tendon, manager Ron Gardenhire said. Its a devastating injury that might signal the end of Cabreras mythical Hall of Fame career.
The 11-time All-Star left the Tigers’ 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of the third inning Tuesday night with what the team initially said was a left biceps tendon strain suffered after an awkward swing. An MRI later determined it was ruptured.
Cabrera, 35, will have season-ending surgery later this week. Its a huge blow for the Tigers and an even bigger blow to the legendary career of one of the games all-time great hitters. Cabrera is in the twilight of his career and chasing the statistical milestones of ghosts and greats.
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Breaking: 11-time All-Star Miguel Cabrera to have season-ending surgery for ruptured tendon in biceps
The prolific Venezuelan slugger is chasing 500 career home runs and 3,000 career hits, an exclusive MLB club that includes home run king Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, The GOAT Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Black Knight Eddie Murray.
Cabrera also ranks in the top three among all active players in hits, home runs and RBIs: His 2,676 hits are third-most, his 465 home runs are second-most and his 1,635 RBIs are third-most.
“He feels bad, he feels really bad,” Gardenhire said. “He feels like he’s letting people down.”
Cabrera has rarely failed MLB fans. In recent seasons, he’s gutted through numerous lower-body injuries, while winning a Triple Crown, two MVP awards, and four batting titles, but he started showing signs of the wear and tear in 2017 when he hit a career-low .249 with 16 homers in 130 games. The Tigers as a squad were even worse, finishing the season with a 64-98 record.
Between 2003, when he entered the majors and 2016, Cabrera was an Iron Man. He only played from the disabled list one time. Tuesday’s injury will send him to the disabled list for the second time this season, and the fourth time in his career. This year, he missed three games with spasms in the same biceps tendon that ruptured Tuesday, then was out for 26 games with a hamstring strain and back tightness.
Cabrera was swinging the bat much better this season, hitting .301 with three homers and 22 RBIs, while appearing in 38 games, but there comes a time when every iconic player has to face his mortality. Cabrera has played 16 seasons, bursting on the scene with the Marlins and winning a World Series in 2003.
Hes been the standard of excellence as an MLB hitter and hes played over 2200 MLB games during that time. He will have the rest of the season to reflect and decide what he wants to do. Theres nothing more for the Latin Lord to prove on a field and if he isnt ready to retire, it seems that Mother Nature will expedite the decision for him.
