NELSON CRUZ NEWS

Placed on 10-day IL Cruz was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to June 1, with a right hamstring strain.

Impact 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.

JUNE 2, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Nursing sore hamstring 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-Tribu...

Impact 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 also undoubtedly a factor. Gary Sanchez started at designated hitter instead and homered and with both Cruz and Matt Carpenter struggling, Sanchez could potentially siphon some DH at-bats.

JUNE 2, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting again Friday Cruz is out of the lineup again Friday versus the Yankees.

Impact 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.

MAY 26, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Out of lineup Thursday Cruz is out of the lineup Thursday against the Nationals.

Impact 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.

MAY 25, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Out of lineup Friday Cruz is absent from the lineup Friday versus the Dodgers and right-hander Dustin May.

Impact 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.

MAY 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Takes seat vs. Reds Cruz is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.

Impact Cruz went 1-for-4 in Tuesday's extra-inning loss to the Reds, and he'll retreat back to the bench for the series finale against Cincinnati. Matt Carpenter will hit cleanup as the designated hitter on Wednesday.

MAY 3, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Homers, reaches base five times Cruz went 5-for-6 with one double, one homer, four RBI, and one steal in Saturday's win over the Giants.

Impact Cruz had a monster game popping his third homer and collecting his first five-hit game of the season. The designated hitter had a career worst .650 OPS last season in Washington. But the 42-year-old has bounced back with an .839 OPS in 2023.

APRIL 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Bryce Miller: Manny Machado, Nelson Cruz, Michael Wacha travel back in time during Mexico City visit MEXICO CITY — The roads neighboring Liga Infantil de Beisbol Olmeca A.C., a youth complex in a modest cranny of the world's fifth most popul...

APRIL 29, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Padres Daily: Channeling Tatis; offense comes through like it should; Cruz hits hard, hits fastballs Jake Cronenworth decides to have a little fun; Nelson Cruz defying time; pitcher hit by Manny Machado line drive checks out healthy

APRIL 16, 2023 • SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.COM

Drives in three in blowout Cruz went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run scored in Saturday's victory over the Brewers.

Impact Cruz singled home Juan Soto in the first, picked up a sac fly in the seventh and walked in a run in the eighth. All in days work. The ageless veteran has picked up hits in four straight appearances, but it's nice to see some run production after not picking up an RBI since his six-run outburst Sunday against Atlanta.

APRIL 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Cronenworth's 2 HRs, 6 RBIs lead Padres past Brewers 10-3

Jake Cronenworth had his first career multi-homer game with two two-run shots and drove in a career-high six runs as the San Diego Padres beat the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brew...

APRIL 15, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tellez's homer, sac fly help Brewers to 4-3 win over Padres

Rowdy Tellez hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 10th for the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, who beat the San Diego Padres 4-3

APRIL 14, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

At DH versus righty Cruz is serving as the Padres' designated hitter and batting fifth Thursday against the Brewers.

Impact Matt Carpenter has typically drawn the DH starts versus right-handed pitching opponents, but Cruz will get the nod Thursday with righty Colin Rea making a spot start for Milwaukee. Cruz is 2-for-3 with a homer in his career against Rea.

APRIL 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Collects six RBI in blowout Cruz went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, six RBI and two runs during Sunday's 10-2 win against Atlanta.

Impact 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.

APRIL 10, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Nelson Cruz 2nd-oldest Padre to homer in 10-2 rout of Braves

Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer and drove in six runs, and the San Diego Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 10-2 for their third consecutive victory

APRIL 10, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Drives in two runs Cruz went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI during Friday's 5-4 win against Atlanta.

Impact 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.

APRIL 8, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Bogaerts, Cruz, bullpen lead San Diego past Braves, 5-4

Xander Bogaerts drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, Nelson Cruz went 3 for 5 with two RBIs and the San Diego Padres got strong relief pitching to beat the Atlanta Braves...

APRIL 8, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cracks first Padres homer Cruz went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 8-6 loss against the Diamondbacks.

Impact He took a poorly-located Zac Gallen fastball over the wall in left field to become the second-oldest player in Padres history with a long ball, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com. The 42-year-old Cruz still has impressive power, but he has not yet made a start against a right-handed pitcher this season (Cruz entered Tuesday's game after Manny Machado was ejected for arguing about a pitch clock violation in the first inning). Expect Cruz to continue seeing most of his starts against lefties for the time being.

APRIL 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

2023 MLB odds: Four MLB best bets to make now

FOX Sports Betting Analyst Sam Panayotovich gives his best win total, division and title bets for the upcoming MLB season.

MARCH 29, 2023

Soto progresses in Padres camp with optimism for WBC trip

Juan Soto ran sprints in the outfield and took some big swings in batting practice during an early workout at the San Diego Padres spring training complex

MARCH 8, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cubs blank Manny Machado, Padres in first Spring Training no-hitter since 2017

The Cubs no-hit the Padres in a Spring Training game Friday. The game only took two hours and 14 minutes thanks in part to MLB's new pitch c...

MARCH 4, 2023

7 Cubs pitchers combine for no-hitter vs Machado, Padres

Manny Machado, Nelson Cruz and the San Diego Padres expect to be big bashers in the batter’s box this season

MARCH 4, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ranking the best 18 DHs of 2023 in the MLB

Who are baseball's best designated hitters? Ben Verlander breaks down his tiers.

MARCH 1, 2023