Long considered the favorites to be free agent slugger Nelson Cruz’ new home, the Seattle Mariners have another voice pitching the club to him.
New Mariner Robinson Cano, a very closer friend of Cruz’, told Shannon Drayer of ESPN Seattle that he’d love to see a reunion of the Dominican Republic superstars.
Cano on Cruz-I wish we had Nelson here, but we have got a front office, they know what they have to do and what they can decide.
— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) February 18, 2014
Sometime around two weeks ago, it had been rumored that a 3-year deal with a fourth year option was all but done between Seattle and Cruz. Then Hisashi Iwakuma strained a tendon in his finger and Taijuan Walker became delayed in Spring Training, and suddenly the Mariners pulled away from a deal with the 34-year old slugging outfielder.
Cruz, who earned a trip to his second All-Star game last season, would have played healthy through his second consecutive season had he not been given a 50-game suspension in connection with the Biogenesis clinic. Before his suspension, Cruz was hitting .266/.327/.506 with 27 homers and 76 RBI in 109 games with the Rangers.
The Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers have also been linked to Cruz, but a deal with any team does not seem imminent now.