The Minnesota Twins have moved experienced slugger Nelson Cruz to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Introduction

On Thursday, July 22, 2021, the Major League Baseball trade deadline saw its first major deal. With the deadline set for 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, July 30, 2021, the Minnesota Twins made headlines by sending their seasoned power hitter, Nelson Cruz , along with minor league pitcher Calvin Faucher, to the Tampa Bay Rays. In return, the Twins received young right-handed pitchers Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman.

The impact of Cruz on the Tampa Bay Rays’ roster.

At 41 years old, Nelson Cruz hails from the Dominican Republic and boasts an impressive record as a seven-time MLB All-Star. Over his 17-year career in Major League Baseball, he has achieved a remarkable total of 436 home runs and 1,202 RBIs. His addition will significantly bolster the hitting power of the Tampa Bay Rays. Cruz is expected to enhance the Rays’ batting performance against left-handed pitchers, a category in which they've been struggling with a .226 batting average. home runs With his extensive playoff experience, Cruz will provide invaluable guidance to the talented young roster of the Tampa Bay Rays. Throughout his postseason career, he has hit 17 home runs and driven in 37 RBIs across 46 playoff games. While playing for the Minnesota Twins , he hit 76 home runs and maintained an impressive on-base plus slugging percentage of .984. In the current 2021 MLB season, Cruz has achieved a notable batting average of .294, contributing 19 home runs and 50 RBIs.

Nelson brings a whole lot of Major League Baseball Additional players featured in the significant MLB trade.

Calvin Faucher is a 25-year-old relief pitcher who will accompany Nelson Cruz as he transitions from the Minnesota Twins to the Tampa Bay Rays. Faucher had a challenging season with an earned run average of 7.04 and accumulated 42 strikeouts over 30 and two-thirds innings at the Double-A level with the Minnesota Twins' Wichita Wind Surge. He was selected in the 10th round of the 2017 MLB draft.

• Joe Ryan , a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher, is set to represent Team USA in the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics. He boasts a respectable 3.63 ERA along with 75 strikeouts over 57 innings during the 2021 season with the Durham Bulls. Ryan has been recognized as the 10th best prospect in the Rays’ minor league system by MLB.com and was chosen in the 7th round of the 2018 MLB draft.
• Drew Strotman , at 24 years old, is a minor league talent who has shown promise with a 3.39 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 58 and one-third innings for the Durham Bulls, the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Strotman was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB draft and was regarded as the 17th best prospect within the Rays organization at that time. Tampa Bay Both Ryan and Strotman were recent contributors to the pitching rotation at the Tampa Bay Rays' Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls . Fans are hopeful that these two young right-handed pitchers can play a significant role in the future success of the Minnesota Twins in the coming years.
• "It's a difficult situation. This marks the beginning of a new chapter, and I plan to embrace it fully, as I do with every aspect of my life, in order to help the Tampa Bay Rays secure a championship ,\" Nelson Cruz remarked. "We believed we should be competing for the playoffs. I never anticipated being in this position. It's tough to leave a team where you feel at home. But that's part of the business we’re in.\" Rays "This is incredibly exciting. We have a strong team, and the addition of Nelson Cruz, one of the most feared hitters in the league, makes us even better. His experience and leadership are invaluable. I've known him for a long time, and there's never been a negative word spoken about him. We're thrilled to add such a high-caliber player and person to our team. He'll take on the designated hitter role, and we expect him to excel there for the next few months,\" explained Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash to the media following the thrilling announcement of this significant trade in MLB.

Nelson Cruz's notable achievements and accolades in his baseball career.

Media Statements

American League Championship Series MVP (2011)

"Tampa Bay Rays finalize a deal to acquire slugger Nelson Cruz from the Minnesota Twins in a four-player trade.\"

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• 7 Time MLB All – Star (2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021)
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• 4 Time Silver Slugger Award (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)
• American League Home Run Leader (2014)
• American League RBI Leader (2017)
• Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award (2020)
• All – World Baseball Classic Team (2013)

Sources:

Minnesota Twins Make a Trade, Sending Nelson Cruz to the Tampa Bay Rays , espn.com, July 22, 2021.

“Nelson Cruz” , baseball-reference.com, July 24, 2021.

Written by: David Green