ST. PETERSBURG -- Nelson Cruz moved one step closer to rejoining the Twins when the team announced he would begin a rehab assignment with Class A Advanced Fort Myers on Saturday.
Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli had hinted as much in the past few days, and he made it a point to comment on how well he thought Cruz was progressing before Saturday’s game against the Rays.
“I think anyone that had a chance to watch him hit [Friday] can tell that he’s feeling really good,” Baldelli said.
The Twins’ designated hitter nursed a left wrist strain for a few weeks before officially landing on the 10-day injured list for the malady May 14. Minnesota has been cautious with the timetable, preferring to have the problem completely solved instead of rushing Cruz back to action. The luxury of patience was made possible in part by rookie Luis Arraez, who slashed .375/.467/.583 in May after he was promoted May 18.
Still, having Cruz back in the lineup would undoubtedly provide a boost to an already red-hot offense. The 15-year veteran drove in a career-high 119 runs with the Mariners in 2017 and has been an All-Star selection in five of the past six seasons.