The Detroit Tigers were leading 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning when everyone's heart at Comerica Park and in the state of Michigan skipped a beat.
Nine-time All-Star Miguel Cabrera was on first base after getting on by a single, and Victor Martinez was about to receive a 3-2 pitch from Toronto Blue Jays' right hander Drew Hutchison. As Hutchison broke home with the offering, Cabrera took off for second base as a part of a hit and run.
Despite Martinez's fouling the pitch off and staying alive in the count, a problem arose as Cabrera pulled up in pain and grabbed his left leg with an apparent injury. Immediately, the two-time American League Most Valuable Player was taken out of the game by Detroit manager Brad Ausmus and received an MRI during the Tigers' 8-6 victory. Thankfully, the MRI from last night showed no damage to his Achilles tendon, but reports are that Cabrera will likely head to the disabled list for the first time in his career.
When asked about Cabrera's status after the game, Ausmus said, "I'm not optimistic at all. When Miggy says he can't play, it is serious because Miggy plays through everything."
So far in 2015, the American League-leading vote-getter at first base has fifteen home runs, fifty-four runs batted in, and an A.L. best .350 batting average in seventy-seven games played.
Coming into today's action, the Tigers are one game over .500 with a record of 40-39, putting them six games back of the A.L. Central-leading Kansas City Royals and one-and-a-half games back of Baltimore and Minnesota for the last Wild Card spot. This evening, Detroit will look to keep the possibility of a sweep alive as it sends 7-2 David Price to the hill against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. The Tigers are 13-3 this season in starts that Price makes.