Tigers' Cabrera belts 500th Major League home run

Issued on: 22/08/2021 - 21:20Modified: 22/08/2021 - 21:18

Washington (AFP) –

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Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera became the 28th Major League Baseball player to hit 500 career home runs with a milestone blast in the sixth inning of the Tigers' game at Toronto on Sunday.

Cabrera, the first player to reach the 500-homer milestone as a Tiger, reached the magic number off Blue Jays left-hander Steven Matz.

The Venezuelan is the first player to join the 500-homer club since David Ortiz, who was with the Red Sox when he hit No. 500 on September 12, 2015.

Cabrera rankes second in home runs among active players behind Albert Pujols, who hit his 500th on April 22, 2014, with the Angels and went into Sunday with 677 for his career.

Cabrera is the first Venezuela native and the sixth player born outside the United States -- along with Ortiz, Pujols, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Manny Ramirez -- to hit 500 homers.