Asdrúbal Cabrera

Asdrúbal José Cabrera (; born November 13, 1985) is a Venezuelan-American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Cincinnati Reds. Cabrera, a switch hitter, is a two-time All-Star. He was primarily a middle infielder for most of his career, but transitioned to playing more third base during the 2017 season and began playing first base late in the 2019 season.

Early life Cabrera was raised by his parents, Asdrúbal, a truck driver, and Zunilde, a homemaker, in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela. According to his family, Cabrera began switch hitting at three years old. In his youth, Cabrera closely followed Venezuelan shortstop Omar Vizquel's career. At 15 or 16 years old, he made a deal with his father that he would leave school and focus on baseball. If he were not signed within a year, he would return to school. At 15 years old he caught the attention of Seattle Mariners scout Emilio Carrasquel.

After coming up through the Mariners organization, he was acquired by the Cleveland Indians on June 30, 2006, in exchange for Eduardo Pérez. Cabrera spent the remainder of the 2006 season at Cleveland's Triple-A minor league team, the Buffalo Bisons, and hit .263 with a home run and 14 RBI in 52 games with the Bisons.

Cabrera was a non-roster invitee to the Indians 2007 spring training but was reassigned to their minor league camp March 16. He started 2007 at Double-A with the Akron Aeros and was named to the Eastern League mid-season All-Star team. He was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo on July 30, and then to Cleveland on August 7.

Cleveland Indians (2007–2014) Cabrera made his major league debut on August 8, 2007, against the Chicago White Sox, starting at second base. He was hitless in three at-bats and scored a run after he was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning. Three days later, Cabrera picked up his first major league hit, a double, against Mike Mussina of the New York Yankees. Cabrera hit his first career home run on August 18, 2007, off Jason Hammel of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in an 8–1 victory for the Indians. Cabrera eventually assumed Cleveland's everyday second baseman job despite being a natural shortstop, taking over for an ineffective Josh Barfield. In 2007, Cabrera helped power the Indians to a tie for the best record in baseball (96–66 with the Boston Red Sox) with his late-inning heroics. Cabrera batted .353 (18-for-51) in the seventh inning or later. For good luck, Cabrera wears a white beaded necklace that was made for him by his wife; because of this many gave him the nickname "Pearls". In 45 games with Cleveland, Cabrera batted .283 with nine doubles, two triples, three home runs and 22 RBI. In 11 playoff games, he batted .217 with a home run and 6 RBI, helping the Indians to the ALCS.

At Progressive Field on May 12, 2008, Cabrera turned the 14th unassisted triple play in MLB history against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second game of a doubleheader. In the fifth inning, with Toronto's Marco Scutaro on first base and Kevin Mench on second, Cabrera dove and caught a Lyle Overbay liner, stepped on second base before leading runner Mench could return, and then tagged Scutaro, who had already passed second base. Hall of Fame member Bob Feller was in attendance to witness Cabrera's feat. On June 9, 2008, Cabrera was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo after hitting a team low .184 with 14 RBI in 52 games. Barfield was called back up to take his place. During his stay in Buffalo, Cabrera hit .326 in 34 games with 25 runs, seven doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI. He was also named International League Batter of the Week after hitting .394 (13-for-33) with three doubles, three homers and 6 RBI. Cabrera was called back up to the Indians on July 18. He hit .320 with 13 doubles, five home runs and 33 RBI in 62 games after his recall. Overall, Cabrera finished the 2008 season batting .259 with six home runs and 47 RBI in 114 games. Through June 2, he was batting .316 with a team-high 38 runs, 13 doubles, 27 RBI and seven stolen bases. In that day's game against the Minnesota Twins, Cabrera sprained his shoulder in a collision with Twins shortstop Brendan Harris. He was placed on the disabled list the next day, and returned on June 28 against the Cincinnati Reds. In 131 games, Cabrera batted a career-high .308 with six home runs and 68 RBI. He also set a career-high with 17 stolen bases. He later made two rehab starts on July 12 and 13, 2010 with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the Indians' Short-Season A affiliate, going a combined 2-for-6 with a walk, double, and 2 RBI in both games, the first a 10–5 loss and second a 4–2 win at Eastwood Field. Cabrera began his stint with the Double-A Akron Aeros on July 15, 2010, for more rehab work, before he was activated from the 60-day disabled list on July 20. For the season, Cabrera batted .276 with three home runs and 29 RBI in 97 games. and recorded 92 RBI, both career highs. He also hit for a .273 average and stole 17 bases in 151 games, while making several highlight plays at the shortstop position. He was also named the team's Man of the Year by the Cleveland Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

On February 10, 2012, Cabrera signed a one-year, $4.55 million deal with the Indians to avoid arbitration. In the process, Cabrera filed for $5.2 million, but the Indians submitted $3.75 million. He was the final Indian eligible for arbitration to be under contract, and he was under team control through 2013.

On April 4, 2012, Cabrera signed to a two-year, $16.5 million extension with a one-year club option that keeps him under Cleveland's control through 2014. On June 19, 2012, he hit a walk-off two-run home run off of Cincinnati Reds' closing pitcher Aroldis Chapman in the tenth inning, giving the Indians a 3–2 victory. It was Cabrera's second walk-off home run of his career. Cabrera was selected to appear in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game on July 1, 2012, as a reserve shortstop, joining teammate Chris Perez as one of two Indians voted to appear in the Midsummer Classic. Between the beginning of July and July 17, Cabrera's batting average had dropped 26 points (.300 on July 1 to .274 on July 17). Cabrera would record his first three-hit game since June 30 when he went 3-for-5 on July 18 against the Tampa Bay Rays. By July 22, however, Cabrera's batting average reached a season-low .272. He was activated from the disabled list on June 26. In 136 games, Cabrera hit .242 with 14 home runs and 64 RBI. Cabrera finished the 2014 season playing in 146 games with a batting average of .241 in 553 at-bats in 616 plate appearances while compiling 133 hits, 49 walks, 61 RBIs, 14 home runs and 74 runs scored with both the Indians and Nationals.

Tampa Bay Rays (2015) On December 30, 2014, Cabrera signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. Cabrera finished the 2015 season playing in 143 games, and hit .265 while compiling 134 hits, 36 walks, 15 home runs, 58 RBI, and 66 runs scored. On July 31, 2016, Cabrera strained the patellar tendon in his left knee while rounding third base against the Colorado Rockies. He was placed on the disabled list on August 2. He returned from the disabled list on August 19. He was named National League Player of the Week for the week ending August 27. In a crucial game to make the playoffs, on September 22, 2016, Cabrera gave the Mets an 11th-inning win with a three-run home run, following a tight game against the Phillies. In 141 games, he batted .280 with 23 home runs and 62 RBI. Cabrera's option for 2018 was exercised by the Mets on November 3, 2017.

Cabrera began the 2018 season batting .277 with 18 home runs and 58 RBI in 98 games with the Mets. He made his Phillies debut a day later going 0-for-4 as the shortstop in a 6–2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. With the Phillies, he batted .228/.286/.392 with five home runs and 17 RBI in 49 games. On August 1, Cabrera was designated for assignment. On August 3, the Rangers released Cabrera. He batted .235/.318/.393 with 12 home runs and 51 RBI in 93 games with Texas. He played in 38 games with Washington after the trade, and slashed .323/.404/.565 with six home runs and 40 RBI in just 124 at bats. In 12 playoff games, Cabrera hit .233 with 5 RBI. Cabrera played 52 games for Washington in 2020, slashing .242/.305/.447 with eight home runs and 31 RBI over 190 at-bats. In 90 games for the Diamondbacks, Cabrera hit .244 with seven home runs and 40 RBI. He finished 2-for-26 (.077) with two RBI in 20 games. He received a 35-game suspension for his actions.

Coaching career On May 7, 2025, Cabrera was announced as the new manager for the Caribes de Anzoátegui of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League for the 2025–26 season, replacing Morgan Ensberg. On May 9, El Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League fired manager Néstor Rojas, with Cabrera being rumored to be the new hire; however the signing never materialized, with Enrique Sánchez and Jesús Valdez being hired as the team's interim managers.

Personal life Cabrera resides in Miami, Florida, with his wife Lismar, son Meyer, and daughter Ashley. He and his wife met in school in Venezuela and were married in 2007.