On a freezing Opening Day in Detroit, Shane Bieber was visibly trying to stay warm on the mound, constantly blowing on his hands. Across from him stood Miguel Cabrera, unaffected by the cold, no blankets or extra layers, ready to hit. As the snow picked up and wind swirled, Bieber fired a nasty pitch to make it a 1-1 count. The very next pitch, Cabrera drove an outside fastball deep to right. Josh Naylor, playing in his first snow game after years in San Diego, misread it off the wall. Miggy slid into second, unsure if it cleared the fence. It had. Home run.
Cabrera casually jogged the bases while the snow fell harder, soaking in the handshakes and laughs. Meanwhile, the fans stayed glued to their seats, too cold to react. No one stood. No one tried to catch the ball. Cabrera’s frozen-tundra bomb summed up early-season baseball in the midwest—miserable for some, fun for the vets who’ve seen it all.