Marveling at Nelson Cruz’s First 162 Games With the Twins

It was officially announced in early January 2019 that the Twins signed Cruz to a one-year $14 million deal with a $12 million option for a second season. The buyout amount for that option was a measly (in baseball terms) $300K. Cruz was coming off a productive four-year stretch in Seattle, but was also entering his age 38 season.

The Boomstick has not only continued to produce, he’s been better than ever.

The second leg of Tuesday’s doubleheader in St. Louis marked the 162nd game Cruz has played for the Twins. Here’s a look at the numbers he’s produced over that time and where he ranks among the MLB leaders since the start of last season.

Nelson Cruz won’t be blasting bombas for the Twins forever, so appreciate him while you can. Cruz is beating the odds every day he steps on the field — not many 40-year-olds do this kind of damage — but he’s also in the final year of his contract with the Twins.

What’s next for Nelson? I think it’s safe to assume he’s enjoyed his time in Minnesota, and that the feeling is mutual, but he’ll have no shortage of options the way he’s playing. If the universal DH carries into 2021, that’ll be especially true.

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