Miguel Cabrera to stay with Tigers — in new role — after final game

Detroit — Well, that didn’t take long.

The Tigers announced Friday that Miguel Cabrera will be staying in the organization after his playing career ends on Sunday.

He will serve as special assistant to president of baseball operations Scott Harris.

“Lessons like how to deal with praise and pressure are exactly what we want Miguel teaching players throughout the organization,” Harris said. “I’m honored to have him as a part of our staff, and know he will continue to make the Tigers better in his new role.”

This is exactly the role Cabrera envisioned for himself, even if he wasn’t sure exactly how to articulate it. Bottom-line, he wanted to remain a part of this team. He wanted to help finish what has been started the last handful of years, to return the team to playoff contention, with young players such as Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter to build around.

"Yeah, this is nice," Cabrera said before the game. "I look forward to next year and what I can do for my ex-teammates (laughing)."

Asked how he saw this role playing out, Cabrera jokingly barked, "Don't worry about it. You will see."

The reality is, he still had games to play.

"Right now, I am just focused on my retirement," he said. "Then, I will focus on what I can do for this team. Right now, I don't have anything in mind. My mind is focused on playing these last three games and getting a lot of hits."

Keeping Cabrera in the Tigers’ family post-retirement clearly was important to chairman and CEO Chris Ilitch, as close as Cabrera was with his father Mike Ilitch.

“My father was incredibly fond of Miggy and made sure he was a Tiger for the remainder of his playing career,” Chris Ilitch said, referencing the eight-year, $248 million deal his father gave Cabrera in 2016. “We’re thrilled to extend our relationship into the next chapter of his life.

“While it may be the end of an era, it's a new beginning as Miguel will continue to pass along his baseball wisdom, culture-shaping values, and mentorship to the next generation of Tigers players, who can aspire to the level of greatness that Miguel has achieved."

One of the first things Harris did when he took over as president of baseball ops last September was to announce that Cabrera would be a big part of the team in 2023, putting an end to any talk about buying out the final year of his contract.

“It’s been incredible to watch Miggy passing names on all-time leaderboards, but even more impressive to see how he’s handled the attention behind the scenes,” Harris said. “It’s no secret that the personal spotlight isn’t super comfortable to Miggy, and there’s something to be said about the humility he carries each and every day even when fans across the league are chanting his name while wearing another team’s jersey on their backs.”

One thing is for certain, much like special assistant Alan Trammell does when he comes back around the team either in spring training or in his four of five visits in-season, Cabrera’s presence will provide an immediate energy boost.  

“Miguel Cabrera embodies what it means to be a Tiger, and I thank him for giving us 16 wonderful seasons representing the Olde English ‘D’ and our city,” Ilitch said in a statement. “Miguel's historic accomplishments on the field truly make him one of the greatest Tigers in franchise history.

“He has also been a great teammate and is beloved by fans and throughout baseball. His big heart has made an ever-lasting impact on our community.”

Trammell, former manager Jim Leyland and Kirk Gibson, all special assistants on Harris's administrative cabinet, were at the game Friday and are expected to be here all weekend to send Cabrera out — which Cabrera greatly appreciated.

"It's going to be great," Cabrera said of the weekend. "It's going to be a lot of emotions. I'm going to try to focus on what I have to do on the field, but it's going to be hard. It is what it is. I'm going to enjoy it and try to have fun and hopefully win all three games."

Manager AJ Hinch sees Cabrera assimilating smoothly into his new role next season — if not sooner.

"He's already giving out orders and barking out requests, making sure we're all going to be held accountable — in typical Miggy fashion," Hinch said, laughing. "He was very happy to rejoin the Tigers, even though he hasn't left. His role with our young players, our coaches, the entire organization is going to be immense.

"For him to have goals moving forward for the team he is most identifiable with is pretty cool. He's going to be celebrated in years to come — and rightfully so. But, I think he wants to get in the trenches on how to make us better and better every night."

Twitter/X: @cmccosky