The Tigers will activate first baseman/DH Miguel Cabrera from the 10-day injured list prior to tomorrow’s game, the team announced. Infielder Zack Short has already been optioned to the alternate training site to make room for Cabrera’s return. Cabrera hit the IL on April 11 due to a left bicep strain, so the veteran slugger will be back after only a few days’ beyond the 10-day minimum.
Cabrera didn’t hit much over his first 27 plate appearances, batting only .125/.222/.292 with one home run. While the veteran slugger is a few years removed from his All-Star prime, his pursuit of both the 500-homer plateau and the 3000-hit plateau will draw attention throughout the season, assuming good health and assuming Cabrera can continue even his league-average offensive production from 2017-20. Cabrera currently sits at 488 home runs and 2869 career hits.
While Short is slightly behind Cabrera on the all-time hits list, Short at least joined the party when he cracked a single in Friday’s game for his first Major League hit. Short appeared in two games with Detroit, marking his first Major League action since being a 17th-round pick of the Cubs in the 2016 draft. The 25-year-old infielder has shown a knack for getting on base during his time in the minors (career .241/.377/.405 slash line over 1588 PA) and he can also play shortstop and both second base and third base.