Getty Miguel Cabrera overwhelmed by emotion after his last-ever MLB game
Detroit Tigers legend Miguel Cabrera may have just left the MLB two months ago, but he’s already made a triumphant return to the delight of fans in his home country.
Cabrera received a standing ovation from the crowd and a warm embrace from his competitors as he stepped up to the plate in the 2023 Venezuelan Home Run Derby on December 11, launching long balls over the fence without missing a beat.
40-year-old Miguel Cabrera competed in a home run derby two months after retiring. Legend
Cabrera faced off against a fiercely competitive bracket of sluggers in this offseason derby, including reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres and the Milwaukee Brewers’ top prospect Jackson Chourio, who just signed a record-breaking, $82 million contract without playing a single inning in the big leagues.
Las seis duplas del Festival Jonron Pepsi
🔹R. Odor vs. E. Escobar
🔹F. Álvarez vs. J. Rondón
🔹W. García vs. E. Suárez
🔹G. Torres vs. A. Santander
🔹J. Chourio vs. R. Acuña
🔹Y. Puig vs. M. Cabrera
Cabrera faced fellow former MLB slugger Yasiel Puig in the first round. Puig emerged victorious against the legend, going on to lose at the hands of Acuña in the final round.
Retired Detroit Tigers Slugger Miguel Cabrera Awaits the Baseball Hall of Fame
GettyMiguel Cabrera gets a Gatorade bath courtesy of Detroit Tigers teammates following his final MLB game
The 40-year-old Cabrera ended his career after 21 years in the majors, the final 16 with the Detroit Tigers. In his more than two decades of facing MLB pitchers, Cabrera slashed .306/.382/.901, with 511 home runs and 1,881 runs batted in — numbers that make him a lock for a coveted spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
A look at some of his all-time rankings in a league that goes back to 1876 paints a picture of longevity, power and dominance that may never be seen again. In addition to two MVP trophies and a World Series championship as a rookie in 2003, Cabrera logged:
- 2,797 career games, 25th most in MLB history
- 11,796 plate appearances, 23rd most in MLB history
- 3,174 hits, 17th most in MLB history
“It was a career spanning more than 20 years that will land Cabrera in the Baseball Hall of Fame in five years,” as Matt Snyder put it for CBS Sports. “There’s no doubt about that. The only question is how close his vote percentage comes to 100 percent.”
All Eyes on Venezuela Winter League, Ronald Acuña as MLB Offseason Heats Up
GettyAtlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. enjoys a training session with the Venezuela Winter League
The Venezuelan Home Run Derby has become a hallmark event of the baseball offseason, showcasing the talent of some of the world’s best players.
And even as Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a record-shattering $700 million, 10-year contract that will see him defer an unprecedented $680 million until 2034, the 2023 Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (VPBL) season has been worth keeping an eye on.
It has been a tour de force for Acuña, who made his debut shortly after officially being named the NL MVP. Three hours after taking home that trophy, he hit a homer for Tiburones de la Guaira and pitchers eventually stopped pitching it to him.
The VPBL has long been an important showcase for the MLB’s best players in the offseason. Two-time World Series champion Vic Davalillo, who died on December 6, logged more than 1,500 hits there and now the league’s MVP trophy bears his name.
But no Venezuelan player has had more impact on the sport than Cabrera, and that was apparent in his reception at the derby — possibly the last time so many will get to see him hit another one over the fence.
“There’s a lot of Venezuelan baseball players who are doing great things over here and playing well,” Acuña told the Associated Press as Cabrera prepared for retirement. “I think we’re all doing a good job of just continuing that, but as far as Venezuelan players are concerned, Miguel Cabrera is like a Venezuelan baseball god.”
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Miguel Cabrera Returns to Standing Ovation in Venezuelan Home Run Derby