The Padres released Cruz on Monday.
Cruz had been designated for assignment a week ago after batting just .245/.283/.399 with a 30.3 percent strikeout rate across 49 games. This was after the 43-year-old produced just a .234/.313/.337 slash line in 2022. It's possible this is the end of the line for the seven-time All-Star.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Designated for assignment
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Cruz was designated for assignment by the Padres on Tuesday.
Cruz signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Padres over the winter and was getting fairly regular starts in the DH role, but he has suddenly been dropped from the 40-man roster after ultimately slashing just .245/.283/.399 with five homers and 23 RBI across 49 games. Rougned Odor looks poised for an uptick in playing time as part of the fallout from this move. He is at third base Tuesday with Manny Machado taking a turn as the DH.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: On bench against righty
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Cruz is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates.
Cruz had started at designated hitter in five of the previous seven games, but four came versus left-handed pitchers and the other came against a right-handed opener in Ryan Walker, who worked just one inning for the Giants that day. Now on the bench for the second straight game versus a right-hander (Luis Ortiz) after he sat out against righty Mitch Keller on Wednesday, Cruz still appears to be stuck in the short-side platoon role at designated hitter that he's handled all season. While Matt Carpenter has lost hold of the strong-side role due to his ongoing struggles at the plate, the Padres have turned to another left-handed hitter in Rougned Odor to replace him.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: On bench Wednesday
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Cruz is not in the lineup Wednesday versus the Pirates.
Matt Carpenter will handle the DH role and bat eighth as the Padres square off against the Pirates and right-hander Mitch Keller. Cruz has picked it up in recent weeks and is drawing the majority of starts at DH, but the veteran slugger holds a relatively underwhelming .250/.291/.417 season slash line.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Not starting Saturday
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Cruz isn't in the Padres' lineup Saturday against the Nationals, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
After going 2-for-10 with four RBI and five strikeouts across his last three games, Cruz will get a day to rest Saturday. Rougned Odor will fill in as San Diego's designated hitter and bat eighth.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Hits solo blast Friday
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Cruz went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's loss to the Rays.
Cruz ended Shane McClanahan's outing with a solo shot in the seventh inning, accounting for the only run the Padres were able to score against Tampa's ace. The long ball was the second in three games for Cruz since he was activated off the injured list June 13. The veteran slugger appears to be San Diego's designated hitter of choice against southpaws, while Matt Carpenter has been getting starts at the position against righties.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Homers off bench
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Cruz went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 5-0 win over the Guardians.
This was Cruz's first game action since he returned from a hamstring injury that cost him two weeks. He didn't start Wednesday, but he entered the game as a pinch hitter for Matt Carpenter in the fifth inning before going deep in the eighth. Cruz is up to four homers, 17 RBI, eight runs scored and a stolen base over 113 plate appearances, but he has just a .243/.274/.411 slash line. There's still some power in his bat, but it's unclear if he'll be able to retake a spot in the starting lineup over Carpenter. Cruz may have to settle into a short-side platoon role.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Activated from injured list
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Cruz (hamstring) was activated Tuesday from the 10-day injured list, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Cruz is not in the Padres' starting lineup Tuesday night against the Guardians, but the 42-year-old should be available off the bench. He wound up missing a little less than two weeks because of a right hamstring strain. Alfonso Rivas was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to clear space for Cruz.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Hitting well in rehab stint
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Cruz (hamstring) has gone 3-for-8 with a home run and two RBI through two rehab appearances with Triple-A El Paso.
Cruz is getting ready to return to San Diego after suffering a right hamstring injury May 31. The fact that he's already playing in minor-league contests suggests that the issue wasn't severe and that the veteran could serve the minimum amount of time on the IL. Cruz is eligible to return to the big club Sunday, though his playing time could take a bit of a hit with the Padres' recent addition of Gary Sanchez, who is playing on a near-everyday basis and is making his second start at DH for the team Saturday.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Starts up rehab assignment
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Cruz (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A El Paso.
Cruz is only a week removed from suffering a right hamstring strain and could be ready to return from the 10-day injured list when first eligible this weekend. The veteran slugger has posted a rough .651 OPS with only three home runs through 36 games (111 plate appearances) this season with the Padres and might lose some DH looks to the recently acquired Gary Sanchez.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Placed on 10-day IL
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Cruz was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to June 1, with a right hamstring strain.
Cruz suffered the injury while trying to leg out a grounder in the Padres' loss to the Marlins on Wednesday. Maybe some time away can help the veteran slugger reset himself, as he's struggled to a .238/.270/.381 batting line with three home runs through 111 plate appearances this year.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Nursing sore hamstring
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Cruz is dealing with some hamstring soreness after tweaking his leg while running out a grounder during Wednesday's game versus the Marlins, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
It's seemingly part of the reason why he wasn't in the lineup Thursday versus a lefty, although Cruz's .118 average since May 5 was perhaps also a factor. Gary Sanchez started at designated hitter instead and homered. With both Cruz and Matt Carpenter struggling, Sanchez could potentially siphon some DH at-bats.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Sitting again Friday
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Cruz is out of the lineup again Friday versus the Yankees.
Cruz hasn't drawn a start since Tuesday as he continues to struggle through a brutal month of May. The 42-year-old is batting just .147 with a .342 OPS in 36 plate appearances since the calendar flipped over from April.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Out of lineup Thursday
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Cruz is out of the lineup Thursday against the Nationals.
Matt Carpenter will fill the DH role and bat fifth versus the Nats and right-hander Jake Irvin. Cruz, 42, is slashing just .152/.200/.152 with zero home runs through 35 plate appearances in May. He hasn't gone deep since April 29.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Out of lineup Friday
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Cruz is absent from the lineup Friday versus the Dodgers and right-hander Dustin May.
Xander Bogaerts is getting a turn out of the DH spot and Matt Carpenter will start at first base. Ha-Seong Kim is playing shortstop. Cruz, 42, has tallied only one hit -- a single -- in 14 plate appearances since the calendar flipped to May.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Takes seat vs. Reds
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Cruz is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.
Cruz drew a rare start against a right-hander (Graham Ashcraft) on Tuesday and went 1-for-4 in the Padres' extra-inning loss, but he'll retreat to the bench for the series finale. Matt Carpenter will serve as the Padres' designated hitter Wednesday.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Homers, reaches base five times
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Cruz went 5-for-6 with a double, a homer, four RBI, and one steal in Saturday's win over the Giants.
Cruz had a monster game popping his third homer and collecting his first five-hit game of the season. The 42-year-old had a career worst .650 OPS last season in Washington, but he's bounced back early in 2023 with an .839 OPS in 65 plate appearances.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Drives in three in blowout
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Cruz went 2-for-3 with a walk, three RBI and one run scored in Saturday's victory over the Brewers.
Cruz singled home Juan Soto in the first inning, added a sacrifice fly in the seventh and walked in a run in the eighth. Cruz has hit safely in four straight contests, but it's a positive to see some run production after he hadn't recorded an RBI since he drove in six Sunday against Atlanta.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Collects six RBI in blowout
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Cruz went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, six RBI and two runs during Sunday's 10-2 win against Atlanta.
The veteran slugger launched a three-run homer to left center during the third inning, hit an RBI double in the fifth and also delivered a two-run single in the sixth. Cruz isn't playing every day, as Sunday was just his fifth game of the season, but the 42-year-old has still provided plenty of production by going 7-for-20 with two home runs, two doubles, nine RBI and three runs.
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Padres' Nelson Cruz: Drives in two runs
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Cruz went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI during Friday's 5-4 win against Atlanta.
The veteran slugger started the scoring with an RBI double in the opening frame, and he brought home another run via an infield single an inning later. Cruz appears to be filling the small side of a platoon at designated hitter and is 4-for-16 with a home run and three RBI in four games.
