Al Avila says Tigers hope and expect to keep Miguel Cabrera to be productive for duration of contract

DETROIT — Al Avila said when it comes to Miguel Cabrera, there's good news and bad news.

The Tigers GM said the organization hopes and expects to keep Miguel Cabrera productive on the field for the rest of his contract.

"It's a chronic thing where he's going to have to live with it and through treatment, put him on the field. The bad news obviously is it's going to get worse," Avila said.

Cabrera was diagnosed with a chronic knee issue earlier this week, and the Tigers said he'll be their designated hitter for most of his remaining days in baseball.

"It's incumbent on him to stay in good shape. It's incumbent upon us to give him the proper treatment and the proper rest. If you're able to keep that going, we should be able to keep him productive on the field through the remainder of his contract," Avila added.