All signs point to Nelson Cruz landing with the Mariners

By D.J. ShortFeb 8, 2014, 12:50 PM EDT
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Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Thursday that the Mariners are “cautiously optimistic” about signing free agent outfielder Nelson Cruz. Two days later, all signs point to the scenario becoming a reality:

Cruz was reportedly seeking $75 million earlier this winter, but he’ll likely have to lower his expectations with spring training right around the corner. The Mariners would have to give up a draft pick (a third-rounder) and the corresponding draft pool money in order to sign him, so it isn’t just about the contract.

Assuming the two sides are able to wrap up a deal, the Mariners might not be done making moves. With Corey Hart and Logan Morrison in the fold, Justin Smoak could soon become a trade target.

Watch: Christian Yelich continues to make a case for NL MVP repeat

Christian Yelich
AP Images
By Ashley VarelaApr 20, 2019, 9:26 PM EDT
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Christian Yelich simply can’t be stopped. The Brewers outfielder (and defending NL MVP) entered Saturday’s game with a league-leading 11 home runs after swatting two against the Dodgers on Friday night, then clubbed another two homers in the first six innings of Saturday’s game.

The first came on a 2-1 pitch from the Dodgers’ Hyun-Jin Ryu, who lobbed a changeup toward the bottom of the strike zone before it was lifted up and out to center field for a solo home run in the third inning.

While Chase Anderson and Alex Claudio held down the fort against the Dodgers’ lineup, Yelich prepared for his second blast in the sixth inning — this one a 421-foot double-decker on a first-pitch curveball from Ryu.

Yelich’s 13 home runs not only gave him a stronger grip on the league’s leaderboard, but helped him tie yet another franchise record, too. Per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, he’s tied with Prince Fielder for the most home runs hit by a Brewers player in a single month, and sits just one home run shy of tying Álex Rodríguez’s 2007 record for most home runs hit within any club’s first 22 games of the season.

It may be far too early to predict which players will finish first in the MVP races this fall, but there’s no denying Yelich has already set himself apart from the competition. Through Saturday’s performance, he’s batting .361/.459/.880 with a 1.329 OPS and MLB-best 31 RBI across 98 PA so far.