Miguel Cabrera Returns to Play for Venezuelan Tigres in 2025

Miguel Cabrera, the former two-time American League MVP and Detroit Tigers legend, has come out of retirement to play for the Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League for the 2025-26 season. Cabrera retired from Major League Baseball after the 2023 season, concluding a 21-year career highlighted by 3,174 hits, 511 home runs, and a historic Triple Crown in 2012. The LVBP season occurs during MLB's offseason, allowing Cabrera to extend his playing career without conflicting with his other roles, including serving as a special assistant to Tigers president Scott Harris and as hitting coach for Team Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Cabrera's return to the Tigres de Aragua, a team he previously played with from 2000 to 2008, is viewed as a nostalgic yet passionate decision to reconnect with his roots and the game he deeply loves. His participation in winter ball does not affect his Hall of Fame eligibility, and he is expected to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2028. This move has generated excitement among fans and media, celebrating Cabrera's enduring talent and legacy in both Venezuelan and Major League baseball.