MLB
Miguel Cabrera Joined Six Highly Exclusive MLB Clubs With Hit No. 3,000 and Started One of His Own
Detroit Tigers living legend Miguel Cabrera had his place in Cooperstown locked up long before recording his 3,000th career hit this past Saturday.
Now in his 20th season in Major League Baseball, the 39-year-old is an 11-time All-Star, a seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner, a four-time batting champion, a two-time Hank Aaron Award recipient, a two-time American League home run leader, a two-time American League RBI leader, a two-time AL MVP.
In 2012, the year he won his first MVP, Cabrera became the first man in four and a half decades to win the Triple Crown, hitting .330 with 44 home runs and 139 runs batted in.
And let’s not forget the Venezuela native won a World Series with the then-Florida Marlins as a 20-year-old rookie in 2003. And that he had an incredible first-inning at-bat against Roger Clemens in Game 4 that resulted in a two-run homer.
Cabrera holds a career slash line of .310/.387/.532 and became the newest member of the MLB’s prestigious 500 home run club last year. And with a first-inning single off Colorado Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela this past Saturday, he’s now the newest member of the 3,000 hits club.
But with that single, Cabrera joined several other highly exclusive MLB clubs, six to be exact. And he also started a new one in which he may never have company.
Miguel Cabrera joined six prestigious MLB clubs when he recorded his 3,000th hit and started another
Here’s a look at the six exclusive MLB clubs Miguel Cabrera joined when he recorded his 3,000th career hit.
- One of seven players with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs (Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez)
- One of seven Latino players with 3,000 hits (Adrian Beltre, Rod Carew, Roberto Clemente, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez)
- One of four players with 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, and two MVP awards (Willie Mays, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez)
- One of three players with 3,000 hits, 600 doubles, and 500 home runs (Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols)
- One of three players with a lifetime .300 average, 3,000 hits, and 500 home runs (Hank Aaron, Willie Mays)
- One of two players with 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, multiple batting titles, and multiple home run titles (Hank Aaron)
Quite impressive.
As mentioned, however, there is a new club, and it’s particularly exclusive as the only member is Miggy himself. The second he recorded his 3,000th hit, Cabrera became the only player in MLB history with 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, and a Triple Crown.
There’s certainly a strong chance nobody will join Cabrera in that club for quite some time. And that’s if anyone ever joins him at all.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference
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