Twins land Nelson Cruz

Published 12:00 am Friday, December 28, 2018

The Minnesota Twins continued their quest for power during the offseason by agreeing to terms with veteran designated hitter Nelson Cruz on Thursday.

Cruz, 38, has 203 home runs over the past five seasons, more than any other player in Major League Baseball.

During that time, Cruz hit at least 40 homers in a season three times. When Brian Dozier hit 42 homers in 2016 it was the first time a Twins player reached 40 since Harmon Killebrew in 1970.

Cruz also had three 100 RBI seasons over the past five years. The last time the Twins had a player drive in that many runs was Josh Willingham with 110 in 2012.

And Cruz has a cool nickname — “Boomstick.” No current Twin can boast of such a moniker.

According to a major league source, Cruz will get a one-year contract worth $14.3 million with a club option for 2020 worth $12 million. The Twins’ policy is to wait until a player passes a physical before making deals official.

— Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

Marketplace