They lost their leader, a player many looked up to in the clubhouse as a father figure. They lost a hard worker, though one who seemingly spent the better part of each day laughing and joking around with his teammates. And yes, they lost a consistent bat to pencil into the lineup every day.
While the Twins have had the luxury of having a regular designated hitter in Cruz for two and a half years, it’s possible they decide to embrace the flexibility that comes with not having someone penciled in to that spot every day moving forward.
2021 Recap
As the trade deadline drew nearer, it became increasingly obvious that Cruz was going to be on the move. With his contract expiring after the season, the Twins dealt him at the deadline to Tampa Bay for a pair of pitching prospects.
Prior to that point, Cruz had hit .294 with a .370 on-base percentage and .537 slugging percentage with 19 home runs in 85 games for the Twins. He earned an all-star nod for the first time since 2018, representing the Twins, along with relief pitcher Taylor Rogers, at the Midsummer Classic.
After his departure, the Twins used the spot to swap players in and out of the DH spot, giving them a chance to get off their feet for a day.
When Josh Donaldson was dealing with a hamstring issue in August, he slid into the role for the better part of the month. The flexibility allowed Donaldson to avoid the injured list while getting his bat in the lineup on days he was unable to play the field.
Miguel Sanó and Brent Rooker each started 10 games as the Twins’ designated hitter, and others filtered in and out of the spot occasionally, too, especially after Cruz’s departure.
2022 Outlook
Only time will tell how the Twins decide to approach this next season.
Cruz, 41, is a free agent, though his services are likely to be in higher demand with the universal designated hitter likely on the horizon. If the Twins don’t bring back Cruz or look into another full-time designated hitter-type, they still have more than enough options on a daily basis to cover the at-bats.
Donaldson will be 36, and with his history of leg injuries, not playing third base every day could help keep his legs fresher. Rooker, an outfielder, has big power, but will need to show more to prove he deserves a larger role. Rooker, who was with the Twins for the final two months of the season after the Cruz trade, is defensively limited.
They would likely slot in Sanó at times, too, opening up the path for Alex Kirilloff to see playing time at first base, which is his best defensive position.
This is the one in a series that looks at each position for the Twins, reflecting on the 2021 season and looking ahead to the 2022 season.
"need" - Google News
November 05, 2021 at 05:25AM
https://ift.tt/3bHviXA
Twins need to figure out how to replace Cruz at DH - Pine Journal
"need" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3c23wne
https://ift.tt/2YsHiXz
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Twins need to figure out how to replace Cruz at DH - Pine Journal"
Post a Comment