Veteran slugger Nelson Cruz is retiring from Major League Baseball after playing parts of 19 seasons at the highest level. Cruz announced his decision on Thursday on the podcast of his former teammates Adam Jones.
Cruz, 43, spent time with the Brewers, Rangers, Orioles, Mariners, Twins, Rays, Nationals, and – most recently – Padres. Across almost two decades in MLB, Cruz amassed 464 home runs; an OPS+ of 130; more than 2,000 hits; 1,325 RBI; 1,090 runs scored; and 3,847 total bases. Along the way, Cruz earned seven All-Star selections and won four Silver Slugger awards. On five different occasions, he finished in the top 10 of MVP balloting. While his lifetime WAR of 42.2 is well shy of Hall of Fame standards, it does indicate a very good career.
The Texas Rangers' recent triumph in the World Series for the first time in history inevitably turned of memories of Cruz's critical outfield misplay in the 2011 World Series. With the Rangers one strike away from winning it all, Cruz's uncertain route toward the wall in right field allowed David Freese's well-struck ball to land for a game-tying triple:
The Cardinals went on to win Game 6 in extras and mount another comeback win the next night to shock the Rangers and win the World Series. That one ill-timed moment, however, doesn't begin to undo all Cruz accomplished.
What's perhaps most impressive is the way in which Cruz defied the traditional aging curve across the latter half of his career. The market treated him with skepticism after he left the Rangers as a free agent following the 2013 season. So cold was his reception that he wound up not signing until late February when he inked an exceedingly modest one-year, $8 million pact with Baltimore.
However, across the next eight seasons – a span that on the back end included Cruz's age-40 campaign – he racked up 292 home runs and had an OPS+ of 147. At an age when most hitters are retired, by choice or otherwise, Cruz enjoyed his very best seasons.
Over the last two season, decline finally set it, and he put below-average numbers at the plate. That led to his decision to step away. Cruz leaves behind him a reputation as one of the most feared sluggers of his era and as a reminder that great players don't always decline in linear or expected fashion. Sometimes, they even find a higher level, as Cruz did.
