Tigers' Miguel Cabrera Injury Update: Don't Play Hurt, Talk MLB Stats
Don't expect to see Miguel Cabrera back on the field until he's 100 percent.
The Tigers star is eligible to return from his stint on the 10-day disabled list with a hamstring injury Monday, but may take more time to heal after also experiencing soreness in his back and hips.
"I went through that last year, so I don't want to do the same thing," Cabrera told reporters Tuesday, via MLive.com. "Nobody appreciates you when you play hurt, so I'm going to take my time and play when I'm good. I played hurt a lot of years here in Detroit. They don't appreciate that."
Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire supported Cabrera's decision to take his time during his recovery, saying the top priority is getting him healthy.
"Miguel has played through a lot already this year," Gardenhire said before Wednesday's loss to the Indians, via the Detroit Free Press. "You know what, we want him healthy. I don't want to run him out there and let him kill himself trying to play hurt. I agree with him. Lets get him healthy; that's our goal.
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"Playing hurt, that doesn't do him any good. We all know you're a better player when you're healthy. That's what the trainers are working on, he's working on. He wants to be healthy, that way he can play better and enjoy the game himself, rather than limping around."
Cabrera, 35, is batting .323 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 26 games this season. His performance is a major improvement from last season when he batted a career-low .249 and 60 RBIs in 130 games while dealing with a nagging back injury.