MINNEAPOLIS -- How is it that Nelson Cruz, at age 39, still manages to stay in peak physical condition in the midst of an ongoing coronavirus pandemic? He gave fans a look behind the curtain by streaming one of his workouts on Instagram on Monday.
Hours after participating in a conference call with Twin Cities media on Monday afternoon, Cruz went live for half an hour from his complex in the Dominican Republic, showing off a wide variety of exercises while "Iron Glenn" Freeman, his personal trainer, explained the intent of the exercises on the stream.
"In my case, I try to play a little bit of basketball, a little bit of vitilla (Dominican stickball), and just try to be more active on my social media so the fans and teammates and other players have something to do and something to look for," Cruz said.
Cruz said on the conference call that his facility allows for him to train and hit as he would throughout the offseason and in Spring Training.
The Twins' designated hitter started with some stretches before working with a resistance band and going through weighted strength and agility drills in his gym, surrounded by framed jerseys from his various stops around the Major Leagues over his 15-year career.
Cruz's cousin also showed off the many framed bats lining the wall of his batting cage, including gifts from Albert Pujols, Iván Rodríguez, Paul Konerko (one of Cruz's favorites), Adrián Beltré, Andruw Jones, Josh Hamilton, Edwin Encarnación, Robinson Canó, David Ortiz and Miguel Cabrera.
Meanwhile, teammate Taylor Rogers said he is staying loose at home in Denver by playing catch outdoors with Minor League right-hander Griffin Jax, who is also from Colorado and graduated from the nearby Air Force Academy. Rogers said that most of his fellow pitchers are working out to the extent they can at home while sticking to just one catch partner.
"With everybody staying at home and the gym's closed and stuff, Nelson is a perfect example of, there's still ways you can get things done," Rogers said. "I think with his example for our team, everybody has taken his lead and put together something to do at home and something to do to stay active. Everybody is in this together and we know these times will pass."
Aside from staying fit, Cruz said he also fills the time playing dominoes with his cousin and watching movies. He has also upped his nap frequency to thrice daily.
But it was clear that Cruz misses baseball -- and his teammates.
In the background of Cruz's workout, one of the televisions in his gym featured highlights of his teammates' biggest moments from 2019. Cruz paused a resistance-band workout to watch the clip of Miguel Sanó's grand slam in Cleveland off reliever Nick Goody on Sept. 14. That grand slam essentially sealed the division title for the Twins.
The screen changed next to a highlight of one of the home runs that Mitch Garver hit off Jacob deGrom on April 9.
"This is how much I miss Sanó," Cruz gestured. "I'm watching his highlights."