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Nelson Cruz is reportedly on the move. The Minnesota Twins slugger is headed to the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade, according to Jeff Passan. The Rays rank in the middle of the pack in home runs and were in the market for a power hitter as they attempt to make it back to the World Series. They will get pitching prospects Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman in return, per Passan.
Cruz is hitting .294 this season and has 19 home runs for the lowly Twins, who are 41-55 and 17.0 games behind the White Sox in the AL Central. Minnesota was expected to be a contender when the season started, but has quickly faded. Cruz has been one of the few bright spots on a team that will likely sell more pieces as the deadline nears.
At 41, Cruz is a veteran talent who has seen it all in the postseason. He was part of the Texas Rangers squad that went to back-to-back World Series and a Baltimore Orioles group that made the ALCS. The Rays will surely benefit from his experience and power hitting this season.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Tampa Bay is +650 to win the AL and +1400 to win the World Series. Those odds will be worth monitoring once the Cruz trade officially goes through.