Why does the Miguel Cabrera intentional walk make sense? In a pure baseball sense, it does, even if the baseball Gods smite Yankees manager Aaron Boone in the aftermath.
Cabrera had three earlier at-bats to register his 3,000th career hit, but failed to do so. Miggy struck out twice and flew out in his first at-bat. In his final chance of the afternoon against the Yankees, Boone opted to intentionally walk him instead of potentially witnessing history.
Why would Boone do such a thing? Was it merely a cop-out, knowing the Yankees were headed out of town on Thursday night?
No. Despite all the boos which rained down from the Comerica Park stands, Boone’s decision makes sense, in theory. But that doesn’t necessarily make it right.
Lucas Luetge: Miguel Cabrera intentional walk, explained
Luetge is a left-handed pitcher, while Miggy is a future Hall of Famer from the right side of the dish. On the surface, this really isn’t that hard to understand, and it’s surely the excuse Boone will use despite the fact most fans and even some baseball media were furious at him in the moment.
Austin Meadows, meanwhile, is a left-handed hitter, and routinely struggles against lefties. So, Boone had Luetge face the lefty in Meadows. In any other situation, it would’ve been a no-brainer. But because Miggy was sitting on 2,999 hits, the baseball Gods frowned upon him and the Yankees.
Or something like that.
Meadows made the Yankees pay, if you can even call it that. The left-handed hitter blooped in a single in the most sure-handed baseball karma Detroit has ever seen.
Yes, Cabrera will have to wait for his 3,000th hit, but thankfully the Tigers are in the middle of a homestand.
Next up? The Colorado Rockies.