The Miguel Cabrera home run chase has reached the last stop before 500. Facing Baltimore Orioles’ right-hander Matt Harvey, the big man led off the fifth inning of Wednesday’s contest in Camden Yards by turning on a 78 mph curveball and lofted it over the left field wall.
In the process, Cabrera’s 499th career home run takes him to the brink of becoming just the 28th major league hitter all-time to hit 500 homers. Currently, Cabrera sits behind Orioles’ great, Eddie Murray’s, career total of 504. Gary Sheffield will be next up, holding the 26th all-time mark with 509 home runs.
The home run was Cabrera’s 12th of the season, and also marked his 2950th major league hit, as the next milestone, the 3000 hit plateau, comes into view on the horizon. Cabrera is currently 35th all-time in hits. Interestingly, it is Detroit Tigers’ great Sam Crawford, who played from 1899 to 1917 with 2961 hits, 34th all-time, who now stands in Cabrera’s path.
#Tigers 1 @ #Orioles 0 [T5-1o]:
Miguel Cabrera homers (12): fly ball to CF (solo)
Hit: 387ft, 99.6mph, 34°
Pitch: 78.3mph Curveball (RHP Matt Harvey, 14)
— Home Run Tracker (@DingerTracker) August 12, 2021