Tigers To Go 'Full Bore' With Cabrera In Return To Lineup
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Miguel Cabrera is making his return to the lineup on Tuesday night and the Tigers don't plan on easing him back into action.
"He'll probably be full bore," said Brad Ausmus. "Miggy's pretty good about knowing his body and letting us know if he can't play and even when he's injured being able to play through it. So I don't worry myself too much about Miggy. And he's not going to make excuses regardless."
Cabrera was activated on Tuesday after a stint on the 10-day disabled list with a strained groin. Despite the cold weather, Ausmus said there was no hesitation in writing Cabrera's name into the starting lineup. He will assume his customary No. 3 spot in the batting order.
"It's good to have Miggy back, you stick him in there it changes the whole lineup. It makes the lineup deeper, it pushes people down, extends it, makes it tougher on the opposing pitcher," said Ausmus.
Cabrera was hitting .268 with an .834 OPS at the time of his injury (April 21), but .429 with a .1321 OPS over the previous eight games. Among players who have put at least 30 balls in play, he ranks third in the league in average exit velocity (94.9 mph).
"Miggy's a guy that you want all year," Ausmus said on Monday. "He's generally a guy that plays 150-something games and he's one of the best hitters in any league. Hopefully he's healthy the rest of the way."
To clear a spot on the roster, the Tigers sent the hot-hitting John Hicks down to Triple-A Toledo.