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With just one home run through the teams’ first 14 games, the whispers were already starting. Miguel Cabrera can’t turn on inside pitches any more. The bat speed is gone. We’re going to worry about Cabrera for the rest of his career, and there’s no escape from that. But the weather has been abysmal, he already has an oppo taco to his credit, and yet everyone is already getting nervous. Done? Nah, he’s fine.
Whether he’ll stay that way or not throughout the season is an open question, but despite being removed late in Tuesday’s game with a little lower back tightness, the big fella appears none the worse for wear. He celebrated his 35th birthday on Wednesday with a double and then this go-ahead line drive shot into the home bullpen in the sixth inning.
The birthday boy, Miguel Cabrera, goes deep to put the #Tigers ahead on FOX Sports Detroit and FSGO. pic.twitter.com/xX4gIpIKvi
— FOX Sports Detroit (@FOXSportsDet) April 18, 2018
The Baltimore Orioles’ Kevin Gausman isn’t going to get away with hanging breaking balls like that, especially as the weather improves, and especially to one of the greatest power hitters of all-time. We typically don’t see Cabrera get loose and start pulling the ball in the air until conditions are a little more baseball-friendly. But he sure turned on that one and lined it out.
Cabrera wasn’t alone in the dinger department on Wednesday. 3B Jeimer Candelario, fresh off a monster 440 foot blast late last week, launched his second of the season. It was another no-doubter.
Jeimer Candelario homers for the second time this season. #Tigers and Orioles are tied at one apiece on FOX Sports Detroit and FSGO. pic.twitter.com/6hMCLPYDqe
— FOX Sports Detroit (@FOXSportsDet) April 18, 2018