Nelson Cruz Stats
- Height / Weight
- 6' 2" / 230 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 7/1/1980 (42)
- Experience
- 15
- College
- None
Nelson Cruz Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Nelson Cruz News
San Diego Padres designated hitter Nelson Cruz (hamstring) is starting his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday. The seven-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner has had a Hall of Fame-worthy career, but he's clearly close to the end and is hitting .238 (25-for-105) with four doubles, one triple, only three home runs, 16 RBI and 36 strikeouts (four walks) in 36 games in his first year in San Diego in 2023. The Boomstick is recovering from a right-hamstring strain, but he could come off the 10-day injured list when he's eligible this weekend, barring a setback with the Chihuahuas. Cruz has mostly been splitting DH duties for the Friars with the left-handed hitting Matt Carpenter.
San Diego Padres designated hitter Nelson Cruz (hamstring) had some hamstring soreness after running out a grounder in Wednesday's loss to the Miami Marlins. Cruz wasn't in the starting lineup against a left-hander for the series finale on Thursday, and now we know why. But the 42-year-old veteran slugger just hasn't been very good at the plate this year, either, hitting just .238 (25-for-105) with four doubles, a triple, three home runs, 16 RBI and seven runs scored in 36 games played. He was even worse in May, going 5-for-39 (.128) with no homers or RBI and 16 strikeouts in 17 games. Don't be surprised if Cruz remains out of the starting lineup on Friday at home against the Chicago Cubs.
San Diego Padres designated hitter Nelson Cruz had a monster day at the plate Sunday, going 3-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored, and six RBI in a 10-2 drubbing of the Atlanta Braves. Cruz has only played every second day for the Padres so far this season, but he now has a .350 AVG and 1.131 OPS in 20 at-bats. If he keeps hitting like this, the Padres will have no choice but to put him in the lineup regularly. The grizzled vet had eye surgery in the offseason and has spoken openly about how it has helped him track the ball better. It is certainly a situation to keep an eye on.
Batting Order
| 1 | Fernando Tatis Jr. |
| 2 | Juan Soto |
| 3 | Manny Machado |
| 4 | Gary Sánchez |
| 5 | Xander Bogaerts |
| 6 | Jake Cronenworth |
| 7 | Ha-Seong Kim |
| 8 | Brandon Dixon |
| 9 | Trent Grisham |
Nelson Cruz Stats
Last 10 Games
Batting Order
| 1 | Fernando Tatis Jr. |
| 2 | Juan Soto |
| 3 | Manny Machado |
| 4 | Gary Sánchez |
| 5 | Xander Bogaerts |
| 6 | Jake Cronenworth |
| 7 | Ha-Seong Kim |
| 8 | Brandon Dixon |
| 9 | Trent Grisham |
Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz was his usual, reliable self last season providing fantasy managers plenty of power in the shortened campaign. The 40-year-old's name littered MLB batting leaderboards as he was top-10 in baseball in OPS (.992), wOBA (.441), and wRC (164). That translated into 16 homers and 33 RBI as Cruz continued to be a fantasy asset despite DH-only eligibility. A look at Cruz's advanced metrics shows no sign of decline in his advanced age. Cruz's 15-percent barrel rate was top-seventh percentile in baseball, yet was still a drop from the league-leading 19.9-percent mark he put up in 2019. His 93 MPH average exit velocity over the last two seasons is elite and justifies his absurd .624 slugging percentage in that span. Omitting 2020, Cruz has at least 37 homers in every season since 2014 and cleared the 100 RBI mark four times. His role as an everyday DH has clearly helped fend off Father Time as Cruz has been a staple in a loaded Twins lineup. He re-signed in Minnesota for the 2021 season and will bat third or fourth for a lineup that will provide plenty of run and RBI opportunities. DH-only eligibility hurts his fantasy stock a little, but that is baked into his average draft position of 98th overall. Draft Cruz with confidence as a four-category contributor.
