UNDATED (AP) — The Minnesota Twins are bringing back 40-year-old designated hitter Nelson Cruz on a one-year, $13 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations.
Cruz last season batted .303 with 16 home runs, 33 RBIs and a .992 OPS in 53 games during the pandemic-shortened schedule. He has led the team in homers in each of his two years with the Twins while ranking second and fourth, respectively, in the AL in OPS. The six-time All-Star won Silver Slugger awards in 2019 and 2020, when the Twins won the AL Central both seasons.
No player in the major leagues has more home runs over the last seven seasons than Cruz’s 260.
In other MLB news:
— The Orioles have agreed to sign veteran right-hander Félix Hernández to a minor league contract. The 34-year-old Hernández won an AL Cy Young Award, two ERA titles and made six All-Star teams over 15 seasons with Seattle before becoming a free agent last offseason. In his last big league action, Hernández went 1-8 with a 6.40 ERA in 2019.
— The Indians signed durable reliever Bryan Shaw to a minor league contract and invited him to big league spring training in an effort to shore up the bullpen. The 33-year-old Shaw spent five seasons with the club, compiling a 3.11 ERA and leading the American League in appearances three times with Cleveland.
— The Red Sox and right-hander Garrett Richards have finalized a one-year, $10 million contract. Richards has an $8.5 million salary this year, and the deal includes a $10 million option for 2022 with a $1.5 million buyout. After Tommy John surgery in 2018, he missed most of 2019, then went 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA last season.
— Catcher Alex Avila and the Nationals have finalized a $1.5 million, one-year contract. He was a free agent after playing in 2020 for the Minnesota Twins, batting .184 in 49 at-bats during the coronavirus-shortened season. He has played 12 years in the majors for five clubs and has a .235 career batting average with a .348 on-base percentage, 104 homers and 388 RBIs.
— The Diamondbacks have agreed to terms on a one-year, $3.5 million deal with veteran relief pitcher Joakim Soria, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The two-time All-Star will be pitching for his eighth MLB team. The 36-year-old right-hander spent the past two years with Oakland and finished with a 2.82 ERA in 2020.
— Catcher Josh Phegley is retiring after eight major league seasons, a week shy of his 33rd birthday. Phegley played in 11 games for the Chicago Cubs last season and went 1 for 16 at the plate with one homer and two RBIs.
— Outfielder Anthony Santander and the Orioles have argued the second salary arbitration case of the year. Santander asked for a raise from $572,500 to almost $2.5 million, and the Orioles argued for $2.1 million.
— The Padres have promoted general manager A.J. Preller to president of baseball operations and extended his contract through the 2026 season. Preller has rebuilt the Padres into a playoff team. They ended a 13-year postseason drought in 2020, beating the Cardinals in a wild card series before losing to the rival Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
