Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera farewell tour about to begin

Detroit Tigers prepping for Miguel Cabrera's final season.

ICYMI: Detroit Tigers superstar and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera is set to retire after the 2023 season, making this year the last hurrah for the 39-year-old. He's heading into year 21 of his career after spending the previous 16 seasons (including '23) with the Tigers franchise.

It's been 16 years since the Detroit Tigers acquired the young Cabrera from the then-Florida Marlins organization in one of the biggest deals in team history. But after a lengthy road with the Tigers organization, he is getting ready for one last go-round with the Tigers before calling it a career in the big leagues.

Cabrera has been on a milestone career chase over the last few seasons. Between his 500th home run on the road while the team was in Toronto and collecting hit number 3,000 against the Rockies, Cabrera has been knocking accomplishments off the list in the latter years of his career.

While things fell apart and the team never found that elusive World Series win, we can discuss that plunder another time; Cabrera has given a lot to the Tigers organization over the years. Even with some injuries along the way, he still found ways to get it done in the batters' box.

As Spring Training is upon the Tigers, he's getting ready for his farewell tour and last time going through the 162-game season with Detroit. Cabrera got All-Star treatment in 2022, getting invited to the All-Star Game and festivities as part of the two legends who were invited as he joined Albert Pujols, who was on a farewell tour of his own.

But the Tigers will likely have a ton of plans up their sleeve as well. Teams from around the league and players will likely be set to honor the Tigers legend as he makes his way through the 2023 season.

Cabrera has been a huge identity of the Tigers organization from the 2000s until now. Heck, he's been a huge part of the entire league for the last 15 years and beyond. This last season is almost like an official passing of the torch to the next generation.

The trajectory of the Tigers organization still may not be heading in the direction the fans are hoping for. Still, Cabrera's retirement from the organization will signal a shift of some sort. Not to say the Tigers can go out and win 100 games and win a World Series in 2024, but it will indeed be a new era.

Fans may not be as excited for the 2023 season as they were in years past. Still, fans can look forward to rooting on Miggy for one last season, saying their goodbyes to someone who brought them joy as a Tigers fan over the year before he retires and ends an incredible playing career.