Nelson Cruz has previously played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, and Tampa Bay Rays.
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60 Facts About Nelson Cruz
2.
Nelson Cruz had a breakthrough season in 2009, hitting 33 home runs for the Texas Rangers.
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3.
Nelson Cruz played for the Rangers in the World Series in 2010 and 2011, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2011 American League Championship Series.
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4.
Nelson Cruz led the American League with 119 RBI in 2017 while playing for the Seattle Mariners.
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5.
Nelson Cruz hit 346 home runs during the 2010s, which was the highest number of home runs hit by any player in that decade.
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6.
In 2020, based on his work in the community, Nelson Cruz was selected as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year and the ESPYs Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award winner, and in 2021, he received the Roberto Clemente Award.
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7.
Nelson Cruz was born on July 1,1980, in Las Matas de Santa Nelson Cruz, Dominican Republic.
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8.
Nelson Cruz's idol was Michael Jordan and as a teenager Cruz played for the Dominican Republic Junior National Basketball Team.
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9.
Nelson Cruz attended the high school where his father taught history.
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10.
On February 17,1998, Nelson Cruz signed with the New York Mets organization as a non-drafted free agent.
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11.
Nelson Cruz played for three years in the Dominican Summer League.
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12.
Nelson Cruz spent the 2001 season with the AZL Athletics, slashing.
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13.
In 2003, Nelson Cruz spent the year in Single-A with the Kane County Cougars and hit.
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14.
On December 16,2004, Nelson Cruz was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for infielder Keith Ginter.
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15.
Nelson Cruz was assigned to the Double-A Huntsville Stars to begin the 2005 season before receiving a promotion to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds.
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16.
Nelson Cruz had one hit in five at-bats for the Brewers in limited action.
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17.
Nelson Cruz was assigned to Nashville to begin the 2006 season and hit.
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18.
In spring training for the 2007 season, Nelson Cruz got off to a rough start, but finished strong by hitting three home runs in the final week, including a walk-off home run in the final game of spring training.
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19.
Nelson Cruz failed to make the major league roster prior to the 2008 season and cleared waivers after being designated for assignment because he had exhausted his minor league options.
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20.
Nelson Cruz participated in the 2009 Home Run Derby, finishing second to Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder.
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21.
In Game 5 of the 2010 World Series vs the San Francisco Giants, Nelson Cruz hit a home run off of Tim Lincecum in the 7th inning.
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22.
Nelson Cruz became the second hitter to hit a home run into the upper deck in right field as a right-handed batter in the history of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
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23.
On October 10,2011, Nelson Cruz hit a walk-off grand slam in Game 2 of the ALCS versus the Detroit Tigers.
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24.
Nelson Cruz became the first player in baseball history to hit a walk-off grand slam in a postseason game.
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25.
Nelson Cruz hit a 3-run home run to seal Game 4 of the ALCS for the Rangers against the Tigers.
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26.
Nelson Cruz became the first player to hit multiple extra-inning home runs in the same postseason series.
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27.
Nelson Cruz hit a solo home run to put the Texas Rangers up 6 to 4 against the St Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series.
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28.
In January 2013, Nelson Cruz was linked to buying performance-enhancing drugs from a clinic based in Miami.
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29.
Nelson Cruz became a free agent following the 2013 season, turning down a $14 million qualifying offer from the Rangers.
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30.
On February 24,2014, Nelson Cruz signed a one-year, $8 million, contract with the Baltimore Orioles.
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31.
Nelson Cruz was elected into his third MLB All-Star Game, as a designated hitter, for the American League.
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32.
On September 7,2014, in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Nelson Cruz went 4-for-5 with two home runs and 7 RBIs, including his 100th RBI of the season.
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33.
Nelson Cruz declared free agency after rejecting the Orioles' qualifying offer of $15.
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34.
On December 4,2014, Nelson Cruz signed a four-year contract with the Seattle Mariners worth $57 million.
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35.
Nelson Cruz was named the starting DH for the 2015 American League All-Star team, marking the 4th time that he was named an All-Star.
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36.
Nelson Cruz went on to have arguably the best season of his career in 2015, hitting.
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37.
Nelson Cruz hit the third-longest home run in MLB in 2015, at 483 feet.
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39.
Nelson Cruz was not selected as an All-Star, but did finish 15th in the American League MVP voting.
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40.
Nelson Cruz's batted balls had the highest average exit velocity of the season in the major leagues, at 94.
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41.
Nelson Cruz hit the second-longest home run in MLB in 2016, at 493 feet.
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42.
Nelson Cruz was selected as an All-Star in 2017 for the fifth time in his career.
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43.
Nelson Cruz won the Edgar Martinez Award, known as the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.
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44.
Nelson Cruz was named to the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
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45.
On January 2,2019, Nelson Cruz signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins worth $14.
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46.
On September 22,2019, Nelson Cruz hit his 400th career home run and 40th home run of the season versus the Kansas City Royals.
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47.
Nelson Cruz produced the highest hard-contact percentage of all major league batters, at 52.
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48.
Nelson Cruz ranked second in the AL in OPS and SLG, tied for third in home runs, placed sixth in batting, and seventh in RBI.
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49.
Nelson Cruz followed Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds as the only players to hit 40 home runs in their age-39 season or after.
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50.
Nelson Cruz hit 346 home runs during the 2010s, which was the highest number of home runs hit by any player in that decade.
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51.
Nelson Cruz doubled twice in a span of six at bats in a season-ending AL Wild Card Series loss to the Houston Astros.
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52.
Nelson Cruz's efforts assisting the community, Cruz was selected as the 2020 Marvin Miller Man of the Year by the MLB Players Association, as that player whom his peers deem earned "most respect based on his leadership on the field and in the community, " notably in his hometown of Las Matas de Santa Cruz.
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53.
Nelson Cruz was the ESPYs Muhammed Ali Sports Humanitarian Award winner in 2020.
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54.
Nelson Cruz donated a police station, a fire station, replaced an aging ambulance and spearheaded a $400,000 donation drive to help alleviate food shortages induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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55.
Nelson Cruz's leadership inspired his teammates to assist in their own communities.
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57.
On February 10,2021, Nelson Cruz signed a one-year, $13 million contract to stay with Minnesota for the 2021 season.
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58.
On July 22,2021, Nelson Cruz was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays alongside Calvin Faucher in exchange for Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman.
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59.
In March 2022, Nelson Cruz signed a one-year, $12 million contract with a mutual option for 2023 with the Washington Nationals.
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60.
Nelson Cruz was selected Dominican Republic national baseball team at the 2009 World Baseball Classic, 2013 World Baseball Classic, 2017 World Baseball Classic.
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