The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired the power-hitting right-handed bat fans have been clamoring for, acquiring designated hitter Nelson Cruz from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for minor-league right-handed pitchers Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman.
Cruz, who turned 41 at the beginning of the month and will be a free agent at the end of the season, has hit .294/.370/.537 in 85 games this season with the Twins, with 19 home runs and 50 RBI. He has hit 436 homers and driven in 1202 in his 17 seasons in the big leagues. The DH made the American League All_Star team this season after finishing in the top 10 in MVP voting in both 2019 and 2020.
Ryan, who was ranked the tenth best prospect in the Rays organization, was 4-3 with a 3.63 ERA in 11 starts and a relief appearance with the Durham Bulls, striking out 75 and walking just 10 in 57 innings of work. Ryan is currently representing Team USA in Tokyo for the Summer Olympics.
Strotman, 24, was ranked 17th in the Rays organization, and had a 7-2 record and a 3.39 ERA in 13 outings with Durham.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
