Twins know what they lost when they let Nelson Cruz go

The Twins knew what they were getting when Nelson Cruz agreed to sign with them before the 2019 season. A savvy power hitter and a veteran influence in the clubhouse. A well-traveled sage. Someone to push the club to the next level.

Two-and-a-half years later, Cruz is leaving for Tampa Bay, unable to lead the Twins on a postseason run. But make no mistake, he was the fulcrum of the Twins offense. And all that veteran leadership stuff the Twins sought in addition to home runs? Cruz went next level.

"This is meant with no disrespect to anybody else," said Derek Falvey, the Twins president of baseball operations, "but he may be the best teammate I've ever seen in terms of the way he goes about his business, the way he puts his arm around people, the way he helps us become better in our front office jobs and coaching staff jobs."

https://www.startribune.com/twins-know-what-they-lost-when-they-let-nelson-cruz-go/600080569/