AJ Hinch, the manager of the Detroit Tigers, he reconsidered the decision he had made earlier this season of MLB, when he said he wanted Miguel Cabrera more time at first base.
This weekend Hinch announced that he will use the veteran as designated hitter until Stars game, a role that is supposed to have the rest of the campaign.
The Venezuelan was being used more as a designated in the month of June, in which he looked good with the wood. That may have influenced Hinch’s decision.
How Miguel Cabrera turned back the clock, at least somewhat, with a .329 batting average in June
“I think he likes hitting,” manager AJ Hinch said. “When he gets hits, he’s in a good place.” #Tigers https://t.co/lStAVNszyE
– Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) July 2, 2021
This season, Cabrera he has 35 games in the starting lineup and 28 as designated. While on the field his batting line is .221 / .296 / .325, with 3 homers and 20 RBIs. In his other role these numbers change to .256 / .299 / .376, 4 homers and 11 charted.
Following the diagnosis of the chronic knee injury, doctors indicated that Cabrera should limit himself to being a full-time designated hitter to preserve his health.
That is why in 2020 he was not in the first pad in any game and left numbers of .250 / .326 / .417, 10 home runs and 35 RBIs.
In recent years, in 2016 he had better numbers as a first baseman (.323 / .403 / .581, 37 homers and 103 RBIs) than as a designated hitter (.229 / .270 / .343 1 home run and 4 charters).
In 2017 as first baseman he posted statistics of .247 / .332 / .400, 15 homers and 56 RBIs and as designated .273 / .310 / .400, 1 homers and 4 RBIs.
A year later in the starting lineup, he hit .292 / .403 / .416, 2 homers and 18 RBIs, in contrast to the .316 / .333 / .632 line, 1 homer, 4 RBIs.
In 2019 his averages at first base were .302 / .382 / .375, 1 home run, 13 RBIs in 26 games and as a designated .279 / .339 / .406, 11 homers and 46 RBIs in 107 games.
At 38 years old, with a long history of injuries and a long season, leaving Cabrera as designated is the right decision to seek better performance and minimize the risk of injury.