Nelson Cruz retires: Veteran slugger calls it a career after 19 MLB seasons, 464 home runs

Veteran slugger Nelson Cruz is retiring from Major League Baseball after enjoying portions of 19 seasons on the perfect stage. Cruz introduced his resolution on Thursday on the podcast of his former teammates Adam Jones. 

Cruz, 43, frolicked with the Brewers, Rangers, Orioles, Mariners, Twins, Rays, Nationals, and – maximum lately – Padres. Across nearly twenty years in MLB, Cruz accumulated 464 home runs; an OPS+ of 130; greater than 2,000 hits; 1,325 RBI; 1,090 runs scored; and three,847 overall bases. Along the way in which, Cruz earned seven All-Star choices and gained 4 Silver Slugger awards. On 5 other events, he completed within the best 10 of MVP voting. While his lifetime WAR of 42.2 is definitely shy of Hall of Fame requirements, it does point out a excellent career. 

The Texas Rangers’ contemporary triumph within the World Series for the primary time in historical past inevitably grew to become of reminiscences of Cruz’s important outfield misplay within the 2011 World Series. With the Rangers one strike clear of successful it all, Cruz’s unsure direction towards the wall in proper box allowed David Freese’s well-struck ball to land for a game-tying triple: 

The Cardinals went directly to win Game 6 in extras and mount some other comeback win the following night time to surprise the Rangers and win the World Series. That one ill-timed second, then again, does not start to undo all Cruz achieved. 

What’s in all probability maximum spectacular is the way in which wherein Cruz defied the standard growing old curve around the latter part of his career. The marketplace handled him with skepticism after he left the Rangers as a unfastened agent following the 2013 season. So chilly was once his reception that he wound up no longer signing till past due February when he inked an exceedingly modest one-year, $8 million pact with Baltimore. 

However, around the subsequent 8 seasons – a span that at the again finish incorporated Cruz’s age-40 marketing campaign – he racked up 292 home runs and had an OPS+ of 147. At an age when maximum hitters are retired, by means of selection or differently, Cruz loved his best possible seasons. 

Over the remaining two season, decline after all set it, and he put below-average numbers on the plate. That ended in his resolution to step away. Cruz leaves at the back of him a recognition as one of the crucial feared sluggers of his generation and as a reminder that groovy avid gamers do not all the time decline in linear or anticipated model. Sometimes, they even to find a upper stage, as Cruz did.