DETROIT (AP) — Miguel Cabrera made a backhanded stop, stepped on first base and smiled in the eighth inning on the final play of his career after walking in his last at-bat and the Detroit Tigers beat the Guardians 5-2 Sunday.
The game also marked the end of Terry Francona’s career.
The 64-year-old Francona is putting his health first, stepping away to address major medical issues that he has had in recent years.
“As far as I know, I’m not dying,” he said. “I’m ready to do this, so I’m OK.”
Francona, who was Detroit’s first base coach in 1996 before he became a first-time manager in Philadelphia the next year, closes his career with 1,950 wins to rank 13th on the career list.
The three-time AL Manager of the Year helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 2004 — for the first time in 86 years — and 2007. He led Cleveland to the World Series in 2016.
Tito said the day belonged to Cabrera.
It most certainly did. The only player to win the Triple Crown in more than a half-century went 0 for 3 with a walk, but that didn’t diminish the celebration.