CLEVELAND — The Tampa Bay Rays added a big bat for the remainder of the season, acquiring slugger Nelson Cruz from the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.
Moments before opening a four-game series at Cleveland, the Rays, who entered Thursday one game behind first-place Boston in the AL East, announced they got Cruz and minor leaguer Calvin Faucher from Minnesota in exchange for right-handers Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman.
The 41-year-old Cruz has 436 career homers and will bring some pop to Tampa Bay’s lineup. The designated hitter is batting .294 with 19 homers and 50 RBIs this season.
With a week until the trade deadline and no shot at the postseason, the Twins figured they’d get something for Cruz to begin building toward 2021. Minnesota entered Thursday at 41-55.
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