The Angels watched Albert Pujols collect his 600th homer, 2,000th RBI and 3,000th hit wearing their logo and then released him this season in the final year of one of the biggest contracts in baseball history. And in Detroit, some people began suggesting the Tigers should do something similar with Miguel Cabrera.
"No, absolutely not," GM Al Avila said Monday on the Stoney & Jansen Show when asked about a potential buyout of Cabrera's contract. "You don’t do that."
Cabrera, 38, just hit his 500th homer. Either late this season or early next, he's poised to join Pujols as one of only seven players in MLB history to also collect 3,000 hits. He's owed $32 million per year through 2023 as part of his eight-year $248 million contract, money that hasn't been worth it for the Tigers since Cabrera's last All-Star season in 2016. But the money is guaranteed, so Detroit wouldn't be cutting any costs by cutting Cabrera loose. He's already said he intends to retire when his deal expires.
The Angels DFA'd Pujols in the final season of his 10-year, $240 million deal because he didn't deserve time at DH over superstar Shohei Ohtani or at first base over rising slugger Jared Walsh. Eventually, Cabrera and the Tigers might find themselves in a similar situation, especially if Spencer Torkelson settles in as a first baseman in Detroit. But the Tigers won't dismiss the future Hall of Famer when they can just as soon reduce his role. Cabrera has hit third or fourth for most of this season despite an OPS of .706.
Get your Tigers tickets here!
"There might be adjustments that we have to make along the way as far as where he hits in the lineup, how often he plays," Avila said. "He loves to play first base, and quite frankly he’s better when he does play first base, so there’s going to be adjustments to be able to use him to the maximum potential where he can help the club win. I think A.J. (Hinch) will figure that out and Cabrera will be the type of baseball player and person that will do everything that would be beneficial to the baseball team, which he’s always done his entire career."
Cabrera has actually been one of the Tigers' better hitters since June, with an average of .289 and an OPS of .798. That plays just about anywhere in the lineup. Still, he's far from the hitter he once was and his ailing right knee is beyond repair. Moving forward, Hinch and the Tigers might use Cabrera primarily as a weapon against left-handed pitching. Since 2019, Cabrera's hitting .331 with a .905 OPS against lefties, compared to .246 with a .680 OPS against righties. He's an even .300 against lefties this season.
Whatever the case, the Tigers won't show him the door before his contract expires and Cabrera walks through it himself.
