National League Teams Considering Nelson Cruz
3 years agoMany National League teams are pursuing free-agent designated hitter Nelson Cruz with the perception being that there will be a universal DH next year whenever a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is done. The 41-year-old continues to defy Father Time and made his seventh All-Star team while slashing .265/.334/.497 with 32 home runs, 86 RBI and 79 runs scored in 584 plate appearances over 140 games for the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays in 2021. Although he did have 13 home runs in 238 plate appearances after being traded to Tampa, Cruz wasn't as productive in 55 games for the Rays, slashing only .226/.283/.442 with a .725 OPS. Staying at DH has kept Cruz healthy and productive late in his career, and he's hit 73 combined HRs in the last two seasons.
Source: MLB Network - Jon Heyman
Source: MLB Network - Jon Heyman