Miguel Cabrera makes notable announcement about future plans

Mar 30, 2022; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) looks on from the dugout in the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Miguel Cabrera confirmed what had been widely speculated for months on Monday: the 2023 season will almost certainly be his last.

Cabrera confirmed prior to his charity gala this week that he plans to step away from the game after 21 seasons when his contract with the Detroit Tigers expires at the end of 2023.

“I think it’s going to be my last year. It feels a little weird to say that,” Cabrera told MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola. “I thought, I’m not going to say ‘never’, but I think it’s time to say goodbye to baseball.”

Cabrera turns 40 in April and is entering the final year of the huge megadeal he signed with Detroit in 2014. He had said all along that he intended to play in 2023 and then call it a career, and this clearly demonstrates that his view on that has not shifted.

Cabrera hit just .254 last season and has battled health issues for the past several years, but he remains a future Hall of Famer. He has hinted at sticking around the game after retiring, so this may not be the last we see of him.