The 2014 MLB home run leader has finally made a decision. Outfielder Nelson Cruz and the Seattle Mariners have agreed to a four-year contract, which is pending a physical. Cruz will head back to the AL West where he spent a number of years as a Texas Ranger.
Seattle will pay Cruz $57 million over the next four seasons, including a $1 million signing bonus. According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Cruz's former team, the Baltimore Orioles, were informed the outfielder was presented with a four-year, $58 million offer, but the team was not disclosed to them. The Orioles and Cruz have been trying to work out a deal since August, but the two sides failed to agree.
With the addition of Cruz, the Mariners may have shifted the balance of power in the AL West. Seattle missed the playoffs by only one game in 2014 and they now filled a huge void with Cruz, who can play right field or designated hitter. The team was lacking a significant middle-of-the-order right-handed power bat to join lefty hitters Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager. The 34-year-old Cruz slashed .271/.333/.525 with 40 home runs and 108 RBIs and finished seventh in the MVP voting.
The Mariners reportedly attempted to fill their DH void earlier this offseason with Victor Martinez, but he re-signed with the Detroit Tigers on a four-year, $68 million contract. Fortunately for Seattle, Cruz is younger and can play the outfield, which gives them more flexibility. However, they'll have to surrender their 2015 first round draft pick since Cruz rejected the Orioles' qualifying offer in November. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Cruz was the only player to log 40 home runs and 100 RBIs last season, which helped the Orioles reach the ALCS.
Baltimore got Cruz on the cheap last offseason because he was suspended for 50 games in 2013 for his association with the Biogenesis Scandal. As a result, the demand for the slugger was low and the Orioles landed him on a one-year, $8 million deal, but now they'll need to acquire someone to make up for his departure. The team is also in contract talks with outfielder Nick Markakis, but they're believed to be inching along and Markakis' agent has begun exploring other options.
The 2014 AL East champions have been linked to a number of other names in free agent/trade market, so they've likely been preparing for life without Cruz and/or Markakis. The good news for them is that they'll receive a first round pick in June's draft, but unless they make a fairly big move this offseason their offense will probably witness a steep decline.
There's still plenty of time for transactions to be made, especially with the MLB Winter Meetings approaching on December 7.
