Padres: Will Nelson Cruz Be San Diego's Best Under The Radar Signing This Season?
Padres GM AJ Preller was loud this offseason. San Diego was in on several big name free agents this winter, ultimately landing Xander Bogaerts who was among the top shortstops available in free agency. The club also added veteran right-handed pitcher Seth Lugo, long-time Cardinal infielder Matt Carpenter, and just recently inked a 6 year extension with All-Star Yu Darvish.
Those all qualify as relatively big moves. But what about an under the radar move? Dennis Lin of The Athletic thinks DH Nelson Cruz could be one of the better steals of the offseason. Here's what he had to say.
Signing Nelson Cruz for $1 million — a year after he signed for $15 million — feels like a steal compared to what some free agents get these days. It might still be a bargain if Cruz, approaching his 43rd birthday, slugs under .400 again. He and the Padres think that’s unlikely; Cruz has reported clear vision after undergoing offseason eye surgery for an issue that may have slowed him since 2021. When he’s not getting at-bats as a designated hitter, he should be a strong influence inside a diverse clubhouse. Few players are as well respected as the bilingual Cruz. — Dennis Lin
Cruz adds a right-handed slug option to the roster for Bob Melvin. Until Fernando Tatis Jr returns, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts are the only two power hitting righty bats in the lineup, so a need for one more right-handed swinger was apparent.
Elsewhere in the lineup, Juan Soto, Jake Cronenworth, and Trent Grisham will be everyday players but all swing from the left side. Cruz along with Carpenter have the potential to form a feared platoon out of the DH spot for the Pads.
Nelson Cruz is a career .274 hitter with 459 home runs and 1,302 runs batted in over 2,006 games with the Brewers, Rangers, Orioles, Mariners, Twins, Rays, and Nationals.
