Star slugger Miguel Cabrera, Tigers start spring with a new outlook

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Miguel Cabrera showed up Sunday morning for the start of his 20th spring training camp in the majors, his 15th with the Detroit Tigers.

This one is a little different. For the first time since 2016, the fortified Tigers are thinking about winning, perhaps even contending.

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"I think we’ve got an opportunity to do that here, so I’m really excited and ready to go," said the 38-year-old Cabrera, who needs only 13 hits to reach 3,000 for his career.

The Tigers went 77-85 last season in their first year under manager A.J. Hinch. It was a big leap up from four straight seasons of winning percentages under .400.

The 2021 Tigers had a winning record after May 7, then boosted their roster with three veterans ahead of the 99-day MLB lockout.

"Our manager and organization sent a new message last year that it’s time to win, and they showed that this past offseason, signing two big guys for our team," Cabrera noted. "Hopefully we can stay healthy and compete."

In November, Detroit traded for catcher Tucker Barnhart from Cincinnati, then signed left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodríguez and shortstop Javier Báez to long-term contracts.

FILE - Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera plays during a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Detroit. On Sunday, March 13, 2022, Cabrera showed up for the start of his 20th spring training camp in the majors, his 15th with the Detroit Tigers. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

Those acquisitions and the arrivals of prospects Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson gave the Tigers a different look and a different set of expectations as they prepared for Monday’s first organized