Category: detroit tigers

Miguel Cabrera sends touching message to Tigers fans ahead of retirement

September 30, 2023

The Detroit Tigers are saying goodbye to Miguel Cabrera on October 1st when he plays in his final game before retiring. The 12x All-Star is retiring after a 20-year career, including spending the past 16 seasons with the Tigers.

Prior to his retirement, Cabrera sent a message thanking Tigers fans.

“I think to say thank you falls short. I’m truly grateful for all the support that I have been given, for all the joy that they have brought me, for being my friends, for supporting me as they have supported me during all these years. I’m grateful to them. Always, all my life, I’m going to tell them thank you every time I see them,” via Evan Woodbery of M Live.

“Here in Detroit, I feel at home. I feel as if I were playing in Maracay. That’s something very important for a player, to feel as though you belong. That’s why I decided to play all my career here in Detroit and stay here after my career.”

During his outstanding career, Cabrera was a 2x AL MVP, a 2x Hank Aaron award winner, a World Series champion, and a 7x Silver Slugger award winner. He also earned the AL Triple Crown during his 2012 MVP season.

Miguel Cabrera will certainly be missed on the field when he retires for good. The good news for Tigers fans is Cabrera will maintain a role within the organization as he transitions into becoming a Special Assistant to the President of Baseball Operations for the Tigers.

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Miguel Cabrera’s next move after retirement will excite Tigers fans

September 29, 2023

Miguel Cabrera is an all-time Detroit Tigers legend, and his long career is coming to a close in just a few days. Cabrera and the Tigers just finished their second to last series at Comerica Park on Thursday as Detroit defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-3. It was a good win for the Tigers and Miggy. In Wednesday’s game, Cabrera hit what could be his final home run in Comerica Park in another Tigers win over the Royals. He had a special career that saw some thrilling seasons in Detroit, and he was part of the some of the best Tigers teams that the franchise has ever seen. After this season, his playing days will be over, but Cabrera is staying in Detroit for the next chapter of his life.

After retiring from baseball, Miguel Cabrera will still be with the Detroit Tigers as he will be a Special Assistant to the President of Baseball Operations, according to a tweet from the Tigers on Friday. Miggy won’t be on the field for Detroit anymore, but he will still be part of the organization. Detroit fans will be thrilled to have Cabrera still be part of the team.

While Detroit didn’t have a great season this year in Cabrera’s finale, there are still many past seasons with him that fans will cherish. Cabrera was a big reason why the Tigers were consistently the top team in the AL Central in the early 2010s, and he also helped lead the team to two American League titles, one in 2006, and one in 2012. Miguel Cabrera had an incredible career with the Tigers, and it’s going to be exciting to see him work with the team after this season.

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Royals vs. Tigers prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 9/26/2023

September 26, 2023

Two teams playing out the stretch face as the Kansas City Royals face the Detroit Tigers. It is time to continue our MLB odds series with a Royals-Tigers prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

The Royals come into the series after sweeping the Astros. It has been a nice hot streak for the Royals to end the season. They have won six straight games and ten of their last 11 overall. It has come against some quality teams as well. They have won five of six over the Astros, three over the Guardians, and two over the White Sox. Still, the season has been long lost for the royals. They have a 54-102 record. That gives them the second-worst record in the majors this year, only better than the Oakland Athletics.

Meanwhile, the Tigers come in after winning two of four with the Athletics. The Tigers are now guaranteed to finish under .500 and miss the playoffs for a ninth straight season. They are 73-83 on the season. Still, there is reason for optimism. They are right now in third place in the division, and just a half-game behind the Guardians in the division. They also are ten behind the Twins. While they cannot catch the Twins, it is clear they will have a chance next year to contend in a weak AL Central.

Here are the Royals-Tigers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Royals-Tigers Odds

Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-164)

Detroit Tigers: -1.5 (+136)

Over: 7.5 (-112)

Under: 7.5 (-108)

How To Watch Royals vs. Tigers

TV: BSKC/BSDET

Stream: MLB.TV

Time: 6:40 PM ET/ 3:40 PM PT

*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread

The Royals have been rolling at the plate as of late. They have scored 35 runs in the last six games, good for nearly six runs a game. On the year the Royals are 25th in runs scores, while sitting 21st in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, and 22nd in slugging. Nelson Velazquez comes into the game hot. He has hit just .211 in the last week but is getting on base at a .318 rate. He has hit three home runs in the last week and a double, which has helped him drive in six runs in the last week. Velazquez has also scored five runs in the last week.

Meanwhile, MJ Melendez has also scored five times in the last week. He is hitting .231 in the last week with three doubles and a home run. He has also driven in five runs in the last week. Bobby Witt Jr. going to Melendez and Velazquez in scoring five runs in the last week. He is not hitting well though, hitting just .182 in the last week, and only a .217 on-base percentage. Still, he has hit a double and a triple while driving in three runs. The hottest bat in the lineup belongs to Nick Loftin. He is hitting .417 in the last week. Loftin does not have any extra-base hits but has scored twice, driven in three runs, and stolen a base in the last week.

The Royals will send Zack Greinke to the mound today. He is 1-15 on the year with a 5.37 ERA. He has pitched well in his last two starts, going 5.2 innings in the two starts and giving up just two runs. Still, Greinke has not pitched five innings since August 1. He also has not won a game since May 3rd.

Why The Tigers Could Cover The Spread

The Tigers got a strong pitching outing last time to take a 2-0 win, but in general, the pitching has been hit or miss as of late. In the last six games, they have up just five runs in the three wins, but 15 runs in the three losses. The Tigers will send Reese Olson to the mound today. He is 5-7 on the year with a 4.13 ERA. Olson has been pitching great as of late. In the last four starts, he has pitched 25.2 innings and given up just four runs. That is good for a 1.40 ERA, and he has gone 3-1 in those starts.

Meanwhile, the Tigers have struggled at the plate this year. They are 29th in runs scores, 28th in batting average, 28th in on-base percentage, and 29th in slugging. Spencer Torkelson has been productive in the last week. He is hitting just .200 with a .222 on-base percentage. Still, he has a double and a home run, helping him drive in five runs. He has also scored three times in the last week. Further, Andy Ibanez is hitting well. He is hitting .300 in the last week with a .391 on-base percentage. Ibanez has three RBIs with a double and a triple. He has not scored a run in the last week though.

The hottest bat in the lineup could be Parker Meadows. He is hitting .294 in the last week with a .368 on-base percentage. Meadows has hit two doubles and a home run in the last week while driving in one. He has also stolen two bases and scored four times in the last week. As a whole, the Tigers have hit just .216 in the last week. They have scored just 18 runs, but they have a run expectation of 18.8 runs, so they are scoring at the expected rate for how they are hitting. The biggest issue has been striking out the last week. They are currently averaging ten strikeouts per game in the last week.

Final Royals-Tigers Prediction & Pick

The Royals have been hitting much better than the Tigers as of late. They have been making better contact and scoring more runs. Normally, this would be enough to get them a win, but that will not be the case today. Zack Greinke has struggled all season long. Further, he has not been going deep into games. The Royals bullpen ranks 28th in the majors in terms of ERA this year. Further, the Tigers have Reese Olson going today who has been nearly unhittable as of late. The Tigers will get a good start from Olson and take advantage against a bad Royals bullpen.

Final Royals-Tigers Prediction & Pick: Tigers -1.5 (+136) 

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AJ Hinch issues optimistic outlook on Tigers’ future after missing playoffs for ninth straight season

September 25, 2023

The Detroit Tigers will miss the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season this year, the longest postseason drought of any MLB team. Despite that and a seventh straight losing season for Detroit, Tigers manager AJ Hinch says the organization is moving in the right direction.

“It’s not the same speech because we’re in a completely different place now than where we were,” Hinch said, via Evan Petzold. “Where we’re at right now, I think we’re getting closer and closer to fulfilling what the fans deserve.”

The speech Hinch is referring to is one he gave to the Tigers last Friday, the day they were officially eliminated from playoff contention. He’s given such a speech in each of his three seasons in Detroit.

The Tigers should feel more optimistic about the franchise’s direction moving forward than they did at the end of last season. Detroit won 66 games in 2022 and had five players with a WAR above one according to Baseball Reference.

The 2023 Tigers have 73 wins with six games to play and 10 players with a WAR above one. That doesn’t include Spencer Torkelson, who leads the team with 29 home runs and 88 RBIs.

Additionally, players like Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter proved to be ready for the big leagues, taking a big leap from their debut seasons in 2022.

The hiring of AJ Hinch, a World Series-winning manager, was seen as a huge win for the Tigers. Three seasons in, Detroit has yet to have a winning season with the former Houston Astros skipper. He thinks that can change next season and hopes to be part of the turnaround.

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MLB world roasts Athletics for giving Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera $80 bottle of wine ahead of retirement

September 23, 2023

The Oakland Athletics are getting roasted after gifting an $80 bottle of wine for Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera’s retirement. Not only did many consider the gift cheap, but also insensitive since Cabrera is a recovering alcoholic.

Many across the MLB called out the gift, which fell flat on Cabrera’s farewell tour. Here are some of the reactions from across the league:

The Athletics are not the only team to have made this gift blunder. The Marlins got him a bottle of rum and box of cigars while the Astros also gifted him a bottle of wine. However, the Athletics’ gift look extra bad since they are notoriously cheap for not spending much on their roster or facilities.

Still, the gift simply comes across as low effort on behalf of the Athletics. This is especially clear when compared with some of the highly personalized and meaningful gifts and memorabilia that other teams got for Cabrera when he made his final stop at their stadium. The Los Angeles Dodgers got Cabrera a Hollywood Star with his name on it, while the Angels gifted him a surfboard with his accomplishments listed. The Yankees got Miggy a subway sign, $10,000 donation for his foundation, and a painting, per Ayrton Ostly of USA Today.

Aside from the Athletic’s gift gaffe, Miguel Cabrera has had a great farewell tour. After a storied career featuring a World Series title, winning the AL MVP twice, earning the Triple Crown and 12 All-Star nods, Cabrera plays in his final game on October 1st.

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Tigers’ immediate Miguel Cabrera plan after legend’s concerning injury

September 22, 2023

Miguel Cabrera seemed destined to end his Hall of Fame MLB career on a high note after a stellar September. His farewell tour might not get the triumphant end he and Detroit Tigers fans hoped, however.

The legendary slugger fouled a ball off his leg in Thursday’s 7-3 home win over the Oakland Athletics. He was removed from the game (0-for-3 prior to injury) but did at least receive some positive news. “No signs of a fracture, per Tigers,” Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported. “He will be re-evaluated after the game.”

There are just nine games left before Cabrera puts away his cleats for good, but this incident could decrease that number, to the disappointment of his supporters. The Venezuelan native has achieved nearly every worthwhile milestone there is during his 21 years in The Show. He won a World Series as a rookie with the Florida Marlins, claimed the Triple Crown, was voted American League MVP twice and is only the seventh player ever to join the exclusive 3,000 hit-500 home run club.

Cabrera’s greatness coincided with some strong Detroit teams that seemed to be on the verge of a championship. Similarly, his decline has accompanied a downward spiral for the franchise. The 40-year-old may not be retiring after an October run, but he does get to witness the possible birth of a new fruitful era of Tigers baseball.

With that organizational goal at the forefront, Miguel Cabrera has played sparingly in the 2023 season. He has appeared in just 91 games and is now batting .256. Detroit (72-81) ends the year against poor competition, so the only real draw would be seeing the franchise great take his final at-bats. Tigers fans desperately hope that is still a possibility.

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Tigers turn to Blackhawks for new GM

September 21, 2023

The Detroit Tigers announced that they have hired Jeff Greenberg as the team’s general manager, and he will serve under President of Baseball Operations, Scott Harris.

Jeff Greenberg was previously with the Chicago Blackhawks as an assistant general manager, so it is an interesting hire from that perspective. However, Greenberg has history in baseball from when he worked with Scott Harris with the Chicago Cubs.

Scott Harris was with the Cubs from 2012 through 2019, which is obviously the stretch of time that saw the team end their World Series drought. The Tigers are hoping that Harris and Greenberg can recreate the success that they had in Chicago.

The Tigers were hoping to insert themselves into contention over the last couple of years. The team signed Javier Baez to a big deal ahead of the 2022 season, and that has not worked out. Spencer Torkelson is expected to be a staple of the team, and it seems that he is finally breaking out down the stretch this season.

Detroit will have to build a young core. Torkelson figures to be a part of that. The Tigers are currently 71-81 in 2023, so it is not like they are one of the worst teams in the league.

It will be interesting to see if the Tigers can develop enough young talent to make them competitors in the near future. The American League Central is not a strong division, and seems up for grabs for the foreseeable future. The Tigers have to take advantage of that. They have not been to the playoffs since 2014.

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Tigers vs. Dodgers prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 9/20/2023

September 20, 2023

The Detroit Tigers take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Our MLB odds series has our Tigers Dodgers prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Tigers Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers just watched the Atlanta Braves lose another game on Wednesday afternoon against the Philadelphia Phillies. One week ago, the Braves had a massive lead in the race for the best record in the National League, to the point that the competition seemed over. However, after the Braves lost their fifth game in six outings on Wednesday, the gap is now just three games. The Braves are just two games up in the loss column. They’re 97-55 with 10 games left, while the Dodgers are 93-57 with 12 games left. The Dodgers can at least force the Braves to push to the finish line over the next week and a half. Given that the Dodgers will be playing games against the National League West — a division they have dominated — they aren’t completely out of the picture in the race for the No. 1 seed in the N.L. playoffs. Beating the Tigers one more time — to sweep the series in Dodger Stadium — can apply more pressure to the Braves, who will need to regain a spark if they want to fend off Los Angeles.

Here are the Tigers-Dodgers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Tigers-Dodgers Odds

Detroit Tigers: +1.5 (+102)

Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (-122)

Over: 8 (-115)

Under: 8 (-105)

How To Watch Tigers vs. Dodgers

TV: Bally Sports Detroit (Tigers) / SportsNet LA (Dodgers) / MLB Extra Innings, MLB Network (National)

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 10:10 p.m. ET/10:10 p.m. PT

*Watch Tigers-Dodgers LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Tigers Could Cover The Spread

Though the Dodgers are riding a five-game winning streak, it’s not as though they are a lock to win this game. They trailed for most of Tuesday’s game before rallying late to win 3-2. Detroit pitching held the Dodgers to one run in the first seven innings of Tuesday night’s game. It reinforces the point that the Dodgers are not playing for extremely high stakes. Would they like the No. 1 seed? Probably. However, being the No. 2 seed means Los Angeles avoids the dangerous Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. The Dodgers, if they get the second seed, would likely play the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. That’s frankly a better draw than the Phillies.

The Tigers have nothing to lose here. They will play freely. They also know that Miguel Cabrera just moved past Adrian Beltre into 16th place on the all-time list of hit leaders among MLB batters. There will be good vibes in the Tiger dugout. This is not a depressed team. The Tigers know next year is the year when they need to make a real playoff push. Detroit will play this game confidently.

Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread

The Dodgers have won five in a row and know they can catch the Braves, even though that’s not likely. It’s very much in play as a possibility. It gives this team a reason to go after each game instead of pumping the brakes and mentally checking out before the playoffs begin in October. The Dodgers are getting good at-bats from a lot of players. They fought hard to win on Tuesday, trailing 2-1 in the eighth but digging out a comeback victory. Los Angeles will not relax and take it easy. That matters.

Final Tigers-Dodgers Prediction & Pick

The Dodgers are the better team, but as you saw on Tuesday, they didn’t cover the spread. It’s hard to expect Los Angeles to continue to play elite baseball when it’s human nature to relax a little before the playoffs. Stay away from this game.

Final Tigers-Dodgers Prediction & Pick: Dodgers -1.5

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Tigers vs. Dodgers prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 9/19/2023

September 19, 2023

The Detroit Tigers take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Our MLB odds series has our Tigers Dodgers prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Tigers Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers had to enjoy Monday night’s win over the Detroit Tigers in the first game of this midweek series. Lance Lynn was the starter for the Dodgers, while Eduardo Rodriguez was the starting pitcher for the Tigers. You will recall that the Dodgers grabbed Lynn from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline, while Rodriguez very specifically vetoed a trade to Los Angeles. The pitcher who wanted to play for the Dodgers beat the pitcher who did not want to join the Dodgers. Everyone in that L.A. dugout had to take a little satisfaction from that turn of events.

Now, however, there is a bigger battle going on in the National League entering the final two weeks of the season. The Dodgers are three games behind the Atlanta Braves in the race for the top seed in the National League and home-field advantage through the National League playoffs. If the Dodgers do get the top seed, that would drastically change the dynamics of the N.L. postseason. The Braves would not play the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series. The Dodgers would potentially face the Phillies, since Philadelphia is almost certain to be the No. 4 seed in the Senior Circuit.

The Braves have lost four games in a row after clinching the N.L. East Division championship. The Dodgers have won each of their last four games and are now back in the conversation. Can they make up a few more games in the next two weeks? This door of possibility has not been closed.

Here are the Tigers-Dodgers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Tigers-Dodgers Odds

Detroit Tigers: +1.5 (+100)

Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (-120)

Over: 8.5 (-122)

Under: 8.5 (+100)

How To Watch Tigers vs. Dodgers

TV: Bally Sports Detroit (Tigers) / SportsNet LA (Dodgers) / MLB Extra Innings

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 10:10 p.m. ET/10:10 p.m. PT

*Watch Tigers-Dodgers LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Tigers Could Cover The Spread

Though the Dodgers are three games behind the Braves in the N.L. race for the top seed, it’s actually a four-game lead since Atlanta owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Dodgers are not going to go all-out to chase down the Braves. They are focused on getting their guys healthy and ready for the postseason. That is their first need and priority. This is not a highly crucial game for the Dodgers, and as we noted above, if they get the top seed in the National League, they could face the Phillies in the NLDS. No one wants to face the Phillies in the NLDS. The Dodgers would rather face the Milwaukee Brewers as the No. 2 seed. Los Angeles does not have a lot of incentive to win this game.

Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread

The Dodgers are rolling, even though they have already clinched their division and do not have to go all-out to win games. They have a bunch of professionals who play well on a consistent basis. The Dodgers clinched their division on Saturday night in Seattle against the Mariners. They could have mailed it in on Sunday and played the game like a spring training game. Nope. They hammered the Mariners 6-1 with another very strong performance. They had to fly home from Seattle without a day off and play the Tigers on Monday night. That was another game in which a letdown would have surprised no one. Instead, the Dodgers crushed the Tigers. This team is a machine, and one should ignore the incentives. The Dodgers are just good. They win a lot of games.

Final Tigers-Dodgers Prediction & Pick

The Dodgers don’t have anything to play for. It just seems risky picking them, even against Detroit. Stay away from this game.

Final Tigers-Dodgers Prediction & Pick: Dodgers -1.5

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Miguel Cabrera receives classy gesture from Dodgers amid Tigers legend’s emotional farewell tour

September 19, 2023

The Los Angeles Dodgers proved once again they’re a classy organization. The Dodgers paid tribute to retiring Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera prior to their game on Monday. They gave him a star bearing Cabrera’s name and a check for his charity work, per MLB.com’s Jason Beck.

The Dodgers also paid tribute to Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. for becoming the first player to record 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a season. First baseman Freddie Freeman, Acuna’s former Braves teammate, gave him the second base bag from Dodger Stadium on September 2. Acuna hit a grand slam against the Dodgers in their series and became the first major leaguer to enter the prestigious 30-60 club.

As for Miguel Cabrera, he is in his 21st MLB season. He spent the first five seasons of his career with the then-Florida Marlins. Cabrera earned a World Series ring with the Marlins as a rookie in 2003.

The Marlins eventually traded Cabrera to the Tigers in December 2007 and he has been with them ever since. Cabrera has earned 12 MLB All-Star Game selections and seven Silver Slugger awards in his 21-year career.

Miguel Cabrera won back-to-back American League MVP awards with the Tigers in 2012 and 2013. He also won the prestigious Triple Crown in 2012. Cabrera revealed his plans to retire after this season in November 2022.

Cabrera said his goal was to remain injury-free in his last season in the majors. Injuries hurt the Tigers’ cause in 2022 – they won just 66 games in Cabrera’s 20th season. As of this writing, Detroit has a 70-79 win-loss record and will miss the postseason for the ninth straight year.

Nevertheless, the Dodgers wish Miguel Cabrera well in his life after baseball.

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