This afternoon, Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera became the 28th player in MLB history to hit 500 career home runs. Cabrera, 38, homered in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays to tie the game at 1-1. Despite this, Blue Jays' fan gave Cabrera a standing ovation and a curtain call. The Tigers went on to win the game 5-3 in 11 innings.
Of further note, Cabrera now only needs 45 more hits to reach 3,000 in his career. Should he reach that milestone he will join Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro as the only players to achieve this distinction. Granted, A-Rod and Palmeiro have dubious reputations but Aaron, Mays, Murray and Pujols do not.
I suspect that Cabrera is more likely to attain his 3,000th hit in the early part of the 2022 season barring injury and he has had his share of them. Cabrera is signed with Detroit through the 2023 season.
Even if he doesn't get 3,000 hits, Cabrera has already secured his place in Cooperstown with two AL MVPs, a Triple Crown, four AL batting titles, 11 All-Star Team selections and 12 100 RBI plus seasons in a 13-year stretch. A couple of off-field incidents could delay his induction but I don't think it will prevent it. But it is the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Saints. And Cabrera belongs.
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