Nelson Cruz Rumors: Dodgers, Padres, Brewers Among 8 Teams Interested in DH

There are reportedly at least eight teams interested in free-agent designated hitter Nelson Cruz in free agency.

According to ESPN's Enrique Rojas, the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers are among the teams pursuing him.

While the 41-year-old is almost entirely confined to the DH role at this point in his career, he now has interest from both American and National League teams because of the permanent adoption of the universal DH in the NL.

Cruz is preparing to enter his 18th MLB season, but he remains one of MLB's top sluggers and has been so for much of his career.

In 1,882 career regular-season games, Cruz owns a .277 batting average with 449 home runs, 1,238 RBI and 1,031 runs scored. He is also a seven-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the 2011 American League Championship Series MVP.

Cruz has hit the 40-homer mark in a season four times during his career, and with the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Cruz has slugged at least 32 home runs every season since 2014.

Given his deficiencies in the outfield, Cruz has spent almost his entire career in the AL with the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays, although he did appear in eight games for the Brewers as a rookie in 2005.

Last season, Cruz split 140 games between the Twins and Rays, finishing with a .265 batting average, 32 home runs and 86 RBI.

The Dodgers, Padres and Brewers are all teams with playoff and World Series aspirations in the NL, and all of them would benefit from adding a player of Cruz's caliber.

L.A. won the World Series two seasons ago and reached the National League Championship Series last year. MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported Friday that the Dodgers have been in hot pursuit of longtime Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman. If they can't land him, Cruz would be a nice consolation prize.

The Padres finished a highly disappointing 79-83 last season and missed the playoffs, but they reached the National League Division Series the previous year. Cruz would add to an already-stacked lineup that includes Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer.

Milwaukee has reached the playoffs in four consecutive seasons, but it has been unable to break through with a World Series appearance.

Pitching is undoubtedly Milwaukee's strength, and a homecoming for Cruz would give the Brewers some much-needed offensive pop and perhaps help them get over the hump.

It is no surprise that Cruz is a highly sought-after commodity on the free-agent market, and if he continues to produce like he has over the past several seasons, he could be a game-changer for the team that lands him.