ANAHEIM, Calif. — Whatever he ends up accomplishing, Seattle Mariners right fielder Nelson Cruz isn’t charging to the finish in what, statistically, is the best overall season of his 11-year career.
Cruz can barely move and, no matter the steady beat of his production, it’s killing him. The problem is a strained right quadriceps muscle that occurred Sept. 2 while he ran the bases in Houston.
“I like to run hard to the bases,” he said. “It’s taking my aggressiveness away. I can’t get infield hits or beat a double play. That’s a big part of me.
“It’s hard to be out there, especially when I’m a runner on first. You have to break up the double play. I don’t even get close to second base. It feels ridiculous to even go into a slide. That’s tough.”
Cruz missed six games following the injury and has been limited since his return to serving as the designated hitter. His output has remained strong: He was batting .283 with four homers in 14 games prior to Saturday.
“I don’t think it bothers him on his swing,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “It’s more running than swinging the bat.”
Cruz agrees to a point.
“When you’re able to run harder,” he said, “your mind-set is different.”
Cruz entered Saturday’s game with a career-high 43 homers, which placed him in a tie with former Baltimore teammate Chris Davis for the major-league lead.
“We’re friends,” Cruz said. “We text. I’m happy for the success that he’s having. He’s my ex-teammate. I’m pulling for him. At the end, whatever it is, we’ll take it.”
No trash talking between friends?
Friday provided a perfect opportunity. Cruz got No. 43 in a loss to the Angels, while Davis lost what would have been No. 44 when Boston’s Mookie Betts reached over the wall for a catch at Fenway Park.
“Nothing like that,” Cruz said. “We texted all year long about ‘how you doing, how you feeling,’ stuff like that.”
Don’t misunderstand. Cruz won his first homer title last season when he hit what was then a career-best 40 while playing for the Orioles. And he’d like to make it two in a row.
“Of course,” he said, “but whatever it is, we’ll be happy (for each other).”
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