Miguel Cabrera’s chase for 500 home runs and 3,000 hits is on hold. The Tigers placed the two-time MVP and one-time Triple Crown winner on the 10-day injured list Sunday morning with a left biceps strain.
The 37-year-old Cabrera winced and briefly grabbed at his left biceps after fouling off a pitch in the seventh inning of Saturday’s 11-3 loss in Cleveland. He finished the at-bat, trying to loosen the arm before grounding out to end the inning, and stayed in the game at first base until JaCoby Jones pinch-hit for him in the ninth.
Cabrera played in Detroit’s last five games, including three of the last four at first base. He went 0-for-3 on Saturday, part of an 0-for-8 slump since Wednesday’s series finale against the Twins at Comerica Park.
Cabrera’s only known injury this season before this occurred last weekend, when he sat out last Sunday’s series finale against the Indians in Detroit after dealing with full-body cramps the previous game.
However, Cabrera has an injury history with his left biceps. He ruptured a tendon there on a swing in June 2018 and required season-ending surgery.
Cabrera hit his 488th career home run on Opening Day against Cleveland, but has otherwise been off to a slow start, going 3-for-24 with two extra-base hits, three walks and four strikeouts.
To fill Cabrera’s spot, the Tigers selected the contract of Renato Núñez from their taxi squad. The former Orioles slugger was a favorite for the Opening Day job at first base after going to Spring Training with the Tigers as a non-roster invitee, but lost out when manager A.J. Hinch decided to go with a rotation of players at the position. He accepted an assignment to Triple-A Toledo in hopes of getting an early-season callup.
Cabrera’s injury is the second to a Tigers veteran this weekend. Right-hander Julio Teheran went on the injured list on Saturday with a shoulder strain after being scratched from his scheduled start on Friday. He was transferred to the 60-day IL Sunday to make room for Núñez on the 40-man roster, so Teheran’s earliest possible return will be in June.