Hinch U-Turn, Rests Miggy A Day After Slugger Belts No. 499

Detroit MI

12 August, 2021

5:38 PM

Description

BALTIMORE, MD —Detroit Tigers' slugger Miguel Cabrera sat out Thursday afternoon's game in Baltimore, seemingly ensuring that Tigers fans will get a chance to see Cabrera attempt to hit his 500th career home run at Comerica Park. Cabrera, a first baseman and designated hitter, is trying to become the 28th player, and first Venezuelan, to hit 500 homers in his career. At 7:10 p.m. Friday, the Tigers host the Cleveland Indians in the first game of a three-game weekend series. The Los Angeles Angels then come to town for three games before the Tigers hit the road again to Toronto. On Wednesday, the 38-year-old Cabrera connected on a fifth-inning solo homer - No. 499 - off Orioles starter Matt Harvey in a 5-2 Tigers win. After the game, Tigers manager AJ Hinch suggested he would not be tinkering with his lineup Thursday to help ensure Cabrera would hit the historic home run in Detroit. ""He's playing (Thursday)," Hinch said after Wednesday's game according to ESPN News Services "I've talked to him, and we're not going to test baseball fate. We really want him to hit it whenever he's supposed to hit it. Maybe it's (Thursday), maybe it's not." However, Tigers infielder Jonathan Schoop indicated Tigers players and fans would like to see the home run happen at Comerica Park. "Everyone was hoping he can do it in Detroit, but we'll see what happens," Schoop said. All may get their wish. On Thursday, Hinch changed his tune, and he omitted Cabrera from the starting lineup and kept him on the bench for the duration of the game. The manager said there were multiple factors, like rest, involved in giving Cabrera the day off. Though Hinch said it would be nice for the fans to see Cabrera go for No. 500. "Two rain-delay games in the excessive heat," Hinch said before Thursday's game, referring in part to the previous night's contest which was delayed 1 hour, 11 minutes by rain. "Obviously there's a component of hitting 500. I have no idea if it could happen today, but our fans, everybody back in Detroit, I want them to be a part of it. I can get caught up in wanting it to happen as soon as possible. I have no idea if it can happen over the homestand." In addition to chasing 500 home runs, Cabrera also has 2,950 hits, making him just 50 hits shy of the 3,000-hit milestone.