Rays beat White Sox 8-4; McHugh earns first save
Brandon Lowe, Manuel Margot and Joey Wendle each had two hits and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 8-4AUGUST 21, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
NELSON CRUZ #32 - DESIGNATED HITTER - SAN DIEGO PADRES
5 HR •
23 RBI •
.245 AVG
5 HR
23 RBI
.245 AVG
Yarbrough, Rays hand Orioles 14th straight loss, 8-4
Ryan Yarbrough came off the COVID-19 injured list and worked five scoreless innings as the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays handed the Baltimore Orioles their 14th consecutive loss,...AUGUST 19, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Goes yard twice Cruz went 2-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI on Tuesday against the Orioles.
Impact Cruz went yard in the fifth and sixth innings, with the first being a three-run homer and second a two-run run shot. He now has 26 home runs on the season, seven of which have come in 20 games with the Rays. For the season, Cruz has maintained a .273/.347/.528 line with 57 runs scored and 66 RBI across 433 plate appearances.
AUGUST 18, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Rays' Nelson Cruz moves into 42nd place on all-time homer list Rays notes | A two-homer night gives him 443; more pitching staff shuffles, Chris Ellis gets a W.
AUGUST 18, 2021 • TAMPABAY.COM
Cruz 2 homers, Rays hand Orioles 13th straight loss, 10-0
Nelson Cruz homered twice and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays extended the Baltimore Orioles’ losing streak to 13 games with a 10-0 victoryAUGUST 18, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Day off Monday Cruz is not in the lineup Monday against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact Cruz is mired in a 3-for-28 slump and will take a seat after starting the past nine games. Austin Meadows will serve as the designated hitter while Manuel Margot, Kevin Kiermaier and Brett Phillips start from left to right in the outfield.
AUGUST 16, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Goes deep against former team Cruz went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, a walk and two runs scored in Friday's 10-4 win over Minnesota.
Impact Facing the Twins for the first time since he was traded to the Rays in July, Cruz crushed a line-drive homer in the third inning off Michael Pineda. The veteran slugger is up to 24 home runs this season, including five in 68 at-bats with Tampa Bay. In 17 games since the trade, Cruz has gone 14-for-68 (.206) but he still owns an .878 OPS this season.
AUGUST 14, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Michael Pineda departs early as Twins thumped by Rays, who get homer from Nelson Cruz MINNEAPOLIS — Former Twins star Nelson Cruz hit a third-inning solo homer in Friday's return to Target Field and Tampa Bay teammate Kevin Ki...
AUGUST 14, 2021 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
Nelson Cruz celebrates return to Minnesota with home run The former Twin received a standing ovation before his first at-bat and was cheered loudly after his third-inning blast.
AUGUST 14, 2021 • TAMPABAY.COM
Cruz homers in return to Minnesota; Rays rout Twins 10-4
Nelson Cruz homered in his return to Minnesota and the Tampa Bay Rays moved to a season-high 26 games overAUGUST 14, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
"Feels weird," Nelson Cruz says of his return to face the Twins, the team he starred for Beloved veteran Nelson Cruz, traded from the Twins to Tampa Bay last month, homered in his second Rays at-bat at Target Field.
AUGUST 14, 2021 • STARTRIBUNE.COM
Cruz influential among Rays, Twins players MINNEAPOLIS -- There was no shortage of people waiting to welcome Nelson Cruz back to the Twin Cities, but it was only right that Miguel San...
AUGUST 14, 2021 • MLB.COM
Nelson Cruz returns to Target Field as first place Rays face Twins Michael Pineda pitches as the Twins face play their third consecutive series against a division-leading team.
AUGUST 13, 2021 • STARTRIBUNE.COM
Rays' Nelson Cruz looking ahead to 'emotional' return to Minnesota Rays Notes | The veteran DH acquired in late July said he had many friends and special memories during 2 -1/2 seasons with the Twins.
AUGUST 13, 2021 • TAMPABAY.COM
Rasmussen scheduled to start for Rays at Red Sox
The Red Sox will roll out Tanner Houck to the mound Thursday and the Rays will give Drew Rasmussen the startAUGUST 12, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pads homer total Cruz went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double and two RBI in Saturday's 12-3 win over the Orioles.
Impact Cruz has now homered in back-to-back games, bringing his total up to four since he was traded to the Rays on July 22. The 41-year-old designated hitter will be back in the lineup Sunday, batting third in the series finale, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
AUGUST 8, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Lopez expected to start for the Orioles against the Rays
The Orioles will send Jorge Lopez to the mound Sunday and the Rays plan to give Michael Wacha the startAUGUST 8, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lowe hits grand slam, Cruz homers as Rays beat Orioles 12-3
Brandon Lowe hit a grand slam, Nelson Cruz homered for the second straight game and the Tampa Bay Rays maintained their dominance of the Baltimore Orioles with a 12-3 victoryAUGUST 8, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Homers, plates five runs Cruz went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run, two additional RBI and an additional run scored in Friday's win over the Orioles.
Impact Between the runs he drove in and the ones he scored, Cruz was responsible for 70 percent of the Rays' offense in this game. He blasted a three-run shot in the sixth inning, a shot that tied the contest at 5-5, and he then delivered a two-run double in the eighth that began to pull the Rays away. While Cruz has 22 homers on the season and has gone deep thrice already with Tampa Bay, he's also slashing a meager .205/.255/.432 on 11 games since being traded.
AUGUST 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Watkins scheduled to start as Baltimore hosts Tampa Bay
The Rays will start Shane McClanahan on Saturday while the Orioles are expected to counter with Spenser WatkinsAUGUST 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nelson Cruz comes up big as Rays rally past Orioles BALTIMORE — The Rays got Nelson Cruz for nights like this.
AUGUST 7, 2021 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
Nelson Cruz homers, drives 5 to help Rays beat Orioles 10-6
Nelson Cruz homered and drove in five runs to to help the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-6 on Friday nightAUGUST 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Olympic baseball a cross between Double-A and Old-Timers Day
Imagine Olympic swimming without the world’s top 100AUGUST 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alvarez a summer-winter medalist, US reaches baseball final
Eddy Alvarez became only the third American to earn medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics when the United States beat defending-champion South Korea 7-2 to gain a berth int...AUGUST 5, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Takes seat for day game Cruz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Impact After going 5-for-21 while starting in each of the Rays' last five games, Cruz will get a breather as the Rays and Mariners conclude their series with a matinee contest. Austin Meadows will replace Cruz as Tampa Bay's designated hitter.
AUGUST 4, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
