Nelson Cruz reaches 1-year, $15M take care of Washington Nationals, supply says

Free-agent slugger Nelson Cruz and the Washington Nationals have reached settlement on a one-year, $15 million deal, a supply informed ESPN’s Enrique Rojas, confirming a number of studies.

The contract features a mutual possibility for 2023; Cruz will earn $12 million in 2022 and can obtain an extra $three million if the membership doesn’t train the choice.

The 41-year-old Cruz has 449 profession house runs and turns into the primary full-time DH to affix a Nationwide League group since MLB’s new labor deal included a common designated hitter.

Cruz is returning for an 18th main league season. He hit .265 with 32 house runs and 86 RBIs with the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, changing into the oldest participant in main league historical past (41) to hit 30 house runs in a season. He handed David Ortiz (38 in 2016) and Darrell Evans (34 in 1987), who had been each 40 once they hit the mark.

A seven-time All-Star, Cruz is a profession .277 hitter with 1,238 RBIs for the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Twins and Rays.

The NL used the DH in the course of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The brand new labor settlement that house owners and gamers reached Thursday brings the additional hitter to the NL for each recreation, together with the World Sequence.

Cruz has hit 18 house runs in 50 postseason video games. The Rays acquired him from Minnesota final July 22 of their push towards the playoffs.

Some NL groups may rotate the DH spot, letting a number of gamers fill the function in an effort to give them a time off from taking part in the sector. Different golf equipment may desire a everlasting answer, and Cruz actually fills that function.

Cruz made one begin within the area final 12 months — taking part in first base for the primary time in his profession, he made a nifty pickup on a bounced throw to finish the primary inning at Philadelphia. He delivered a tiebreaking, two-run double within the eighth to win that recreation.

Previous to that, his earlier time with a mitt was 2018 when he made 4 begins in proper area for Seattle.

The Related Press contributed to this report.