Miguel Cabrera could have sat out Tuesday's game against the Royals to ensure the American League batting title and perhaps help his chances for the Triple Crown, but he asked Jim Leyland to play him.

Cabrera leads the American League in batting average (.331), homers (44) and RBIs (139).

The last Triple Crown winner was Boston's Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.

Dave Dombrowski called Cabrera a "once-in-a-lifetime player," and recalled a conversation he had before Monday night's game, when the seven-time All-Star admitted "the Triple Crown is important, but it's not the most important thing."