After failing to do so during the Detroit Tigers’ last stay at home, Venezuelan starter Miguel Cabrera will move the pursuit of his home run 500 in the Major Leagues (MLB) to Toronto, Canada, where he will seek to become the first to achieves the feat outside the territory of the United States.
Detroit visits the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend for a three-game series at the Rogers Center. In his career, Cabrera has beaten 13 volleys in 285 innings against the Canadian team’s pitchers, including seven at the Rogers Center, the last in the 2017 season.
However, the Toronto franchise, which debuted in 1977, has never allowed a batter’s quadrangular 500, either at home or on the road. The same happened with the Montreal Expos (1969-2004) while they were in Canadian territory.
Already converted to Washington Nationals (since 2005), they were victims of the junk 500 of the Dominican Albert Pujols, on April 22, 2014 in the Nationals Park of the American capital.
The Blue Jays and Expos have been the only foreign MLB franchises.
Cabrera hit his 499 home run last Wednesday, Aug. 11 against right-hander Matt Harvey in the fifth inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park At Camden Yard.
Since then, the toletero beat of 23-4, without being able to remove the ball from park. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the highest number of turns between the 499 and 500 quadrangulars were: Jimmie Foxx (61), Harmon Killebrew (43), Mickey Mantle and Alex Rodriguez (28).
In Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, Cabrera went 5-2 with a double and four RBIs. He now bats 252 with 12 homers and 55 RBIs in his 19th season in MLB (14 in Detroit).
The Most Valuable Double Player in the American League and winner of MLB’s last Triple Crown beating tries to become the 28th player, seventh Latin American and the first Venezuelan with 500 homers.