Miami Marlins: Top 5 Miguel Cabrera Home Runs with the Organization

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Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

One of the greatest members of the Miami Marlins organization (at the time Florida Marlins) in Miguel Cabrera made history recently by hitting his 500th career home run. A milestone that only includes 27 other players in MLB history, Cabrera now joins the names of baseball legends including Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Albert Pujols, and more.

Cabrera’s legendary career began with the at-the-time Florida Marlins back in 2003 when the Marlins were looking to change their fortunes that had them sitting at 36-39 at the time. To do that, the Marlins called up the then 20-year-old Cabrera, one of the best prospects the franchise has ever had. The Marlins instantly knew that Cabrera was special as the team would go 55-32 making the postseason after the call-up.

The Marlins would make the postseason as the Wild Card team for the National League, and ended up winning the World Series against the favored Yankees that had multiple future Hall of Famers.

Cabrera was a major factor in helping the Marlins win it all. In his rookie season, he slashed .268/.325/.468 in the regular season, and in the postseason showed tremendous mettle, especially in the NLCS. In the NLCS alone, Cabrera had a .633 slugging percentage with three home runs in 7 games.

Miguel Cabrera hit many special home runs with the Miami Marlins (Florida Marlins)

Even at such a young age, you saw the game of an all-time great player in Cabrera. He only played five years with the Marlins, but they were good enough to make him arguably the greatest player the franchise has ever had.

Few players have been able to maintain such a high average and reach the 500 HR mark.

.@MiguelCabrera is one of them. pic.twitter.com/0lPYMC6OoO
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) August 22, 2021

When he left the Marlins, he had three of the five best home run seasons any player has had in a Florida/Miami Marlins uniform. Cabrera has hit the fifth most home runs in team history with 138, and likely does not reach 500 without his Marlins career.

Some of Cabrera’s most iconic home runs came with the word “Marlins” across his chest. This list will countdown the five best home runs Cabrera hit while playing with the franchise that started it all.

Florida Marlins outfielder Miguel Cabrera (Photo by Victor Baldizon/Getty Images) /

5. July 1, 2003: FLA 20 – ATL 1 – First Multi-Home Run Game

Okay, this may be considered a little bit of cheating since it is technically two home runs. Nevertheless, it was only the second time Cabrera hit a home run in a game in his very young career, as well as his first multi-home run game.

It came in a dumb-founding thumping of the Braves where the Marlins let-loose to drive in 20 runs total in the win. Cabrera would have four total hits in the contest which included two doubles and two home runs, an all-time game for an all-time player within a month of his career beginning.

4. September 26, 2007: FLA 7 – CHC 4 – Last Home Run as a Marlin

At this point, Cabrera was already a four-time All-Star at the age of 24 years old, and well on his way to a career that would result in Cooperstown. He finished the 2007 season with 34 home runs, which at the time was the second-most ever by a Marlins player.

On December 4, 2007, the Marlins made a trade that changed the history of the franchise forever. The organization traded Cabrera alongside Dontrelle Willis for a stockpile of prospects that included Andrew Miller, Cameron Maybin, and Burke Badenhop, none of whom made an All-Star appearance while with the Marlins.

3. October 15, 2003: FLA 9 – CHC 6 – Opened Game 7 of NLCS with 3-run Home Run

Cabrera was living up to the hype, but what he did during the 2003 NLCS is what made him a beloved figure in Miami until the end of time.

The then 20-year-old opened Game 7 with a three-run blast off of Kerry Wood to give the Marlins the early lead in the series finale of the NLCS. That home run eventually proved to be the difference in the Marlins advancing to their second World Series in 10 years.

2. June 20, 2003: FLA 3 – TBR 1 – First Career Game, First Career Home Run

Cabrera was magic from the start, evident from his first career game in a Marlins uniform. Playing the then-known Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the game was a pitching duel with both teams only allowing a single run after nine innings of play.

In extras, the newly called-up prospect Cabrera came up to the plate after going 0-for-4 in the game, and hit a walk-off two-run homer in the 11th, a fairy-tale start for a 20-year-old. Cabrera was the real deal, and he proved it from his first game in a Marlins uniform.

It is such a great story to see a player who started with the Marlins make it to such amazing heights including winning a triple crown, multiple silver sluggers, a World Series title, and now hitting the 500 home run mark.

1. October 22, 2003: FLA 4 – NYY 3 – Home Run off Roger Clemens in the 2003 World Series

If Cabrera did prove that the spotlight was not too bright for him in the NLCS against the Chicago Cubs, he definitely proved it in game four of the World Series against the stacked Yankees with Roger Clemens on the mound. The rookie Cabrera was facing the veteran Clemens who was coming off his ninth career All-Star appearance.

The first pitch is high-and-inside, and Cabrera takes the pitch but feels that the Clemens is trying to push him off the plate and stares him down, 1-0.

For the second pitch, Clemens goes right at the youngster who swings and misses at a pitch nearly down the middle, 1-1.

Clemens loads up for the next pitch, and gets Cabrera to swing again at a pitch that almost hits the dirt, 1-2.

Clemens tries to go back to the well with a low pitch, but Cabrera takes this time, 2-2.

After fouling off a 2-2 pitch, Cabrera hit a home run off the veteran that would go down as one of biggest home runs in Marlins franchise history. The entire sequence of the at-bat was a movie featuring the towering Yankees facing the underdog Marlins. The veteran Clemens facing the young-upstart Cabrera.

dark. Next. Series Preview: Marlins vs Nationals

As Cabrera has now surpassed the 500 home run mark for his career, it’s fun to look back at some of his greatest moments at the plate. When looking at his 138 career home runs with the Florida Miami Marlins, these five moments stick out most from his time with the Fish.

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