Milestones behind him, Miguel Cabrera hopes for fun final year

LAKELAND, Fla. — Two years ago, Miguel Cabrera hit his 500th home run, and last season he reached 3,000 hits.

Now there’s one more reason for an extended celebration of the Detroit slugger’s career.

“I’m going to go out there and be me. Try to have fun, try to go out there and, when they give me a chance to play, play. I don’t know what is going to be my role this year,” Cabrera said. “If I can hit, I want to be in the lineup.”

Cabrera sounded at ease with his decision to call it a career when he spoke at spring training Monday, joking with reporters in his usual playful way and insisting he doesn’t need opponents to lavish him with attention. That will likely come whether he wants it or not.

“I brought him up in the first meeting, so that tells you that I didn’t listen to his desire to not be talked about,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We’re going to cherish our time with Miggy. We’re also going to let him be a player, a contributor, and just be himself.”

Two decades after his big league debut as a 20-year-old Florida Marlin, Cabrera says he doesn’t remember much about his first spring training — “I have a better car right now” — but he’s hoping for a healthy season and more wins for Detroit.

The Tigers haven’t made the playoffs since 2014, and Cabrera hasn’t had a really excellent season since 2016.

Still, baseball was captivated a year ago when Albert Pujols managed to hit 24 home runs in his last season, surpassing 700 for his career.

Don’t expect a similar chase from Cabrera, if only because he passed so many milestones so recently. He enters this season with 507 homers, 3,088 hits and 607 doubles — not to mention a .308 career average.

Aaron Judge flashed a big smile when asked if he could have another season like last year’s record-setter when the New York Yankees slugger hit an AL-record 62 homers, saying “you never know what could happen.”

Judge was a free agent after last season, and ended up signing a $360 million, nine-year contract to stay with New York.

The new Yankees’ captain, the first since Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, took live batting practice during the team’s first full-squad workout on Monday.

Judge’s main focus is on helping New York win its first World Series title since 2009.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen cautions the team’s record spending won’t necessarily lead to a World Series title this year. He said “the only thing you can do is put yourself in position where good things can happen.”

New York won its only World Series titles in 1969 and 1986.

The Mets won 101 games last year, then were eliminated by San Diego in a three-game Wild Card Series.

New York raised its payroll to a projected $370 million and is set to shatter the record, set by the 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers at $291 million.

Corey Seager said his second spring training with the Texas Rangers is already a world of difference over last year.

Seager was barred from even having contact with his new team because of a 99-day lockout right after he signed his blockbuster $325 million, 10-year deal. Then came the abbreviated spring training before something the All-Star shortstop had never experienced in the major leagues, a losing season. The Rangers lost 94 games.

But Seager got to have a routine offseason while the Rangers hired three-time World Series champion manager Bruce Bochy and revamped their starting rotation. They had their first full-squad workout Monday.

Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez was at the Boston Red Sox’s camp for the first time this spring training and watched the pitchers throw on a back field, including top prospect Brayan Bello, who had been sidelined for a few days with right forearm soreness.

Martinez also stood to the side of a catcher watching Corey Kluber throw off a mound. The right-hander signed a $10 million, one-year contract.

“It’s just knowledge,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of former players like Martinez talking to the team. “It’s players that have been here, been very successful. We haven’t been able to due that the last two springs because of the restrictions, but now we’re back to almost normal. To have him around is always good for us and good for him.”

The Chicago White Sox and veteran Elvis Andrus finalized a $3 million, one-year contract on Monday. The two-time All-Star has played shortstop for his entire big league career, but he is going to move over to second in his return to Chicago.

The 34-year-old Andrus finished last season with Chicago, hitting .271 with nine homers and 28 RBIs in 43 games after he was cut by Oakland.