Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale returned to the mound Friday night and bid farewell to future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera for the final time at Fenway Park.
Cabrera, who’s played 90 career games against Boston, including six in the postseason, is set to retire from Major League Baseball at the end of his 21st season. That obviously wasn’t the biggest Red Sox-related storyline with Boston gaining ground in a crucial American League wild-card race.
Nevertheless, Sale still felt the need to pay his respects after Boston’s 5-2 victory over the Tigers to open up a three-game series.
“Well, it wasn’t fun learning to pitch in the big leagues as a starter during his Triple Crown and MVP years, let me tell you that,” Sale told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “But I knew that this was gonna be the last time I faced him and I just want him to know that I have a lot of respect for him. And I obviously appreciated the competition throughout the years.”
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Sale retired Cabrera in his two trips to the plate as Detroit’s designated hitter finished the night 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
At the peak of his career, Cabrera was one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball, hitting a jaw-dropping .348 with 44 home runs and 137 RBIs during his second MVP season in 2013. That’s also when he ran into the Red Sox, going up against Boston in the ALCS.
Most recently, Cabrera surpassed Robin Yount for 19th place in all-time base hits, reaching 3,145.
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“He does things the right way, too,” Sale said. “And you look at his career and what he’s done. I just wanted to say a little something to him, give him a head nod and let him know that I appreciate what we’ve been through over the last few years. Kind of a tip of the cap on the way out. He’s earned it.”
The 40-year-old icon walks away from the sport of baseball with an extensive list of accolades, including 12 All-Star appearances, 500-plus home runs, four AL batting titles and he’s the last player to win the Triple Crown Award. Most importantly, Cabrera leaves as one of the most likable and respected players of baseball, sure to have a resounding round of applause amid his stroll into the sunset of retirement.
Featured image via Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports Images
