Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera hadn’t played baseball in eight months before suiting up for his spring training debut on Sunday, and he says it felt like it.
Cabrera has been troubled by arm and back injuries over the past few seasons, and while his plate appearances went fine, Cabrera admitted that playing defense and running the bases simply didn’t feel right yet.
“It was a little weird,” Cabrera said, via Evan Woodberry of MLive. “On the field and base-running, I felt uncomfortable.”
It shouldn’t be taken as a sign of injury concerns, as this is essentially like a rehab assignment for Cabrera in certain ways. He hasn’t played since June when he ruptured his bicep, and that’s not an easy thing to come back from. He’ll get a full spring to get into game shape, and he should be good to go for Opening Day.
