The 41-year-old Cruz has 449 career home runs
Free agent designated hitter Nelson Cruz and the Washington Nationals have agreed a one-year, $15 million deal, a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press on Sunday night.
Cruz, 41, has 449 career home runs and has become the first full-time DH to feature in a National League team since joining a universally designated hitter in MLB's new Labor deal.
Cruz is returning for his 18th major league season. The slugger hit .265 with 32 home runs and 86 RBI in 2021 with the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays.
Cruz receives a salary of $12 million this year, and the deal includes a $16 million mutual option with a $3 million buyout for 2023.
A seven-time All-Star, he made a career .277 hitter with 1,238 RBIs for the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Twins and Rays.
The NL used DH during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The new Labor agreement that owners and players reached Thursday brings additional hitters to the NL for every game, including the World Series.
Cruz scored 18 home runs in the latter 50 games of the season. The Rays achieved them last July 22 pushing Minnesota to the playoffs.
Some NL teams may rotate the DH spot, allowing multiple players to roleplay to be given a day off from field play. Other clubs want permanent solutions, and Cruz certainly fills that role.
Cruz made a debut on the field last year - playing for the first time in his career, he made a nifty pickup on a bounce throw to end the first inning in Philadelphia. He conceded a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth to win that game.
Prior to this, his last time with Mitt was 2018 when he made four starts in right field for Seattle.