Nelson Cruz
Designated Hitter · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2005-2023)
Nelson Cruz was a designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball from 2005 to 2023 for 8 teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers, a span of 19 seasons. In 2,055 career games, he hit .274 with 2,053 hits, 464 home runs, and 1,325 RBI. Nelson Cruz was a 7-time All-Star, an ALCS MVP, a 4-time Silver Slugger, and a Roberto Clemente Award. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 25,334.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Designated Hitter
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 230 lb
- MLB Debut
- 2005-09-17
- Last Game
- 2023-07-03
- Awards
- 7× All-Star · ALCS MVP · 4× Silver Slugger · Roberto Clemente Award
Full name: Nelson Ramon Cruz
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,055 | 7,501 | 1,090 | 2,053 | 372 | 15 | 464 | 1,325 | 84 | 738 | 1,916 | .274 | .343 | .513 | .856 | 25,334 |
Career AVG .274 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — +7.2% above league average.
Career OBP .343 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — +6.2% above league average.
Career SLG .513 vs. league average .412 across their career seasons — +24.5% above league average.
Career OPS .856 vs. league average .735 across their career seasons — +16.5% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | MIL | NL | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .200 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2006 | TEX | AL | 41 | 130 | 15 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 32 | .223 | .269 (-17%) | .336 (-22%) | .431 (-11%) | .768 (-16%) | -374.9 |
| 2007 | TEX | AL | 96 | 307 | 35 | 72 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 34 | 2 | 21 | 87 | .235 | .268 (-13%) | .335 (-15%) | .422 (-9%) | .758 (-11%) | -628.4 |
| 2008 | TEX | AL | 31 | 115 | 19 | 38 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 26 | 3 | 17 | 28 | .330 | .263 (+25%) | .333 (+26%) | .416 (+46%) | .749 (+37%) | 777.4 |
| 2009 | TEX | AL | 128 | 462 | 75 | 120 | 21 | 1 | 33 | 76 | 20 | 49 | 118 | .260 | .262 (-1%) | .332 (avg) | .417 (+25%) | .750 (+14%) | 1233.9 |
| 2010 | TEX | AL | 108 | 399 | 60 | 127 | 31 | 3 | 22 | 78 | 17 | 38 | 81 | .318 | .257 (+24%) | .325 (+15%) | .402 (+43%) | .728 (+30%) | 2208.7 |
| 2011 | TEX | AL | 124 | 475 | 64 | 125 | 28 | 1 | 29 | 87 | 9 | 33 | 116 | .263 | .255 (+3%) | .320 (-3%) | .399 (+28%) | .719 (+14%) | 1125.3 |
| 2012 | TEX | AL | 159 | 585 | 86 | 152 | 45 | 0 | 24 | 90 | 8 | 48 | 140 | .260 | .254 (+2%) | .318 (avg) | .405 (+13%) | .724 (+8%) | 807.0 |
| 2013 | TEX | AL | 109 | 413 | 49 | 110 | 18 | 0 | 27 | 76 | 5 | 35 | 109 | .266 | .253 (+5%) | .317 (+3%) | .396 (+28%) | .714 (+17%) | 1215.3 |
| 2014 | BAL | AL | 159 | 613 | 87 | 166 | 32 | 2 | 40 | 108 | 4 | 55 | 140 | .271 | .251 (+8%) | .313 (+6%) | .386 (+36%) | .700 (+23%) | 2624.5 |
| 2015 | SEA | AL | 152 | 590 | 90 | 178 | 22 | 1 | 44 | 93 | 3 | 59 | 164 | .302 | .254 (+19%) | .316 (+17%) | .404 (+40%) | .721 (+30%) | 3599.2 |
| 2016 | SEA | AL | 155 | 589 | 96 | 169 | 27 | 1 | 43 | 105 | 2 | 62 | 159 | .287 | .255 (+12%) | .321 (+12%) | .417 (+33%) | .738 (+24%) | 2907.2 |
| 2017 | SEA | AL | 155 | 556 | 91 | 160 | 28 | 0 | 39 | 119 | 1 | 70 | 140 | .288 | .254 (+13%) | .324 (+16%) | .425 (+29%) | .750 (+23%) | 2822.6 |
| 2018 | SEA | AL | 144 | 519 | 70 | 133 | 18 | 1 | 37 | 97 | 1 | 55 | 122 | .256 | .247 (+3%) | .318 (+7%) | .409 (+24%) | .727 (+17%) | 1826.0 |
| 2019 | MIN | AL | 120 | 454 | 81 | 141 | 26 | 0 | 41 | 108 | 0 | 56 | 131 | .311 | .252 (+23%) | .322 (+22%) | .434 (+47%) | .757 (+36%) | 3369.3 |
| 2020 | MIN | AL | 53 | 185 | 33 | 56 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 33 | 0 | 25 | 58 | .303 | .244 (+24%) | .321 (+23%) | .417 (+42%) | .739 (+34%) | 1185.7 |
| 2021 | MIN | AL | 85 | 296 | 44 | 87 | 13 | 1 | 19 | 50 | 3 | 35 | 63 | .294 | .243 (+21%) | .317 (+17%) | .410 (+31%) | .727 (+25%) | 1350.7 |
| 2021 | TBA | AL | 55 | 217 | 35 | 49 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 36 | 0 | 16 | 63 | .226 | .243 (-7%) | .317 (-11%) | .410 (+8%) | .727 (avg) | 1350.7 |
| 2022 | WAS | NL | 124 | 448 | 50 | 105 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 64 | 4 | 49 | 119 | .234 | .242 (-3%) | .311 (+1%) | .394 (-15%) | .706 (-8%) | -455.2 |
| 2023 | SDN | NL | 49 | 143 | 9 | 35 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 46 | .245 | .248 (-1%) | .320 (-12%) | .414 (-4%) | .734 (-7%) | -193.8 |
| Career · 20 seasons | 2,055 | 7,501 | 1,090 | 2,053 | 372 | 15 | 464 | 1,325 | 84 | 738 | 1,916 | .274 | — | — | — | — | 26,751 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 187 | 35 | 52 | 12 | 0 | 18 | 38 | 19 | 45 | .278 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ALDS2 | TBA | 4 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | .176 |
| 2020 | ALWC3 | MIN | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .333 |
| 2019 | ALDS2 | MIN | 3 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | .200 |
| 2014 | ALCS | BAL | 4 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | .250 |
| 2014 | ALDS2 | BAL | 3 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | .500 |
| 2012 | ALWC | TEX | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| 2011 | ALCS | TEX | 6 | 22 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 4 | .364 |
| 2011 | ALDS2 | TEX | 4 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .067 |
| 2011 | WS | TEX | 7 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | .200 |
| 2010 | ALCS | TEX | 6 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 6 | .350 |
| 2010 | ALDS1 | TEX | 5 | 20 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | .400 |
| 2010 | WS | TEX | 5 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | .200 |
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (2054 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1046 | 3762 | 557 | 1047 | 230 | 679 | .278 |
| Away | 1008 | 3735 | 533 | 1006 | 234 | 646 | .269 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-03 | SDP | LAA | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023-07-02 | SDP | CIN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2023-07-01 | SDP | CIN | W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-06-30 | SDP | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-06-27 | SDP | PIT | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-06-25 | SDP | WAS | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-06-23 | SDP | WAS | W | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023-06-22 | SDP | SFG | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-06-21 | SDP | SFG | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023-06-18 | SDP | TBR | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 970 | 937 | 1962 | 51 | 34 | 11 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | MIL | OF | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | TEX | OF | 39 | 35 | 69 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 | TEX | OF | 94 | 79 | 167 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| 2008 | TEX | OF | 31 | 31 | 72 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2009 | TEX | OF | 122 | 119 | 301 | 11 | 4 | 2 |
| 2010 | TEX | OF | 101 | 101 | 250 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2011 | TEX | OF | 115 | 114 | 244 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 2012 | TEX | OF | 151 | 148 | 288 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| 2013 | TEX | OF | 102 | 102 | 195 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | BAL | OF | 70 | 70 | 132 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | SEA | OF | 80 | 80 | 151 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 2016 | SEA | OF | 48 | 48 | 76 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | SEA | OF | 5 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | SEA | OF | 4 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | TBA | 1B | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | SDN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2 |
| Left Field | 119 |
| Center Field | 2 |
| Right Field | 881 |
| Designated Hitter | 1046 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Roberto Clemente Award | |
| 2020 | All-MLB Team - Second Team | DH |
| 2020 | MLB Players Choice Man of the Year | |
| 2020 | Player of the Week | Week of 2020-07-25 |
| 2020 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 2020 | TSN All-Star | DH |
| 2019 | All-MLB Team - First Team | DH |
| 2019 | Outstanding DH Award | |
| 2019 | Player of the Week | Week of 2019-07-27 |
| 2019 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 2019 | TSN All-Star | DH |
| 2018 | Player of the Week | Week of 2018-06-23 |
| 2017 | Outstanding DH Award | |
| 2017 | Silver Slugger | DH |
| 2017 | TSN All-Star | DH |
| 2015 | Player of the Month | April |
| 2015 | Player of the Week | Week of 2015-04-19 |
| 2015 | Silver Slugger | OF |
| 2014 | Player of the Week | Week of 2014-06-01 |
| 2014 | Player of the Week | Week of 2014-09-07 |
| 2011 | ALCS MVP | |
| 2010 | Player of the Week | Week of 2010-05-23 |
Salary History
Nelson Cruz's recorded salaries total $57,880,070 over 9 seasons, 2007 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Cruz's career ran from 2005 to 2023. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2005, 2006, and 2008.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | SEA | AL | $14,250,000 |
| 2015 | SEA | AL | $14,250,000 |
| 2014 | BAL | AL | $8,000,000 |
| 2013 | TEX | AL | $10,250,000 |
| 2012 | TEX | AL | $6,250,000 |
| 2011 | TEX | AL | $3,650,000 |
| 2010 | TEX | AL | $440,000 |
| 2009 | TEX | AL | $408,070 |
| 2007 | TEX | AL | $382,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $57,880,070 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 128.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2019 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 62.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2017 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 10th | 44.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2016 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 6.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2015 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 94.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2014 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 102.0 | 420 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Nelson Cruz (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Nelson Cruz
Nelson Cruz: the record in brief
The profile opens with Nelson Cruz's first major league game on September 17, 2005; the last one listed came on July 3, 2023. Club by club, the record runs the Milwaukee Brewers (2005), the Texas Rangers (2006 to 2013), the Baltimore Orioles (2014), the Seattle Mariners (2015 to 2018), the Minnesota Twins (2019 through 2021), the Tampa Bay Rays (2021), the Washington Nationals (2022), and the San Diego Padres (2023). Cruz is listed as a designated hitter at 230 pounds on a 6-foot-2 frame. Cruz batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. Cruz was born on July 1, 1980, in Monte Cristi, Monte Cristi, D.R. On the record, Nelson Cruz was born Nelson Ramon Cruz.
The batting record for Cruz: 2,055 games, 2,053 hits in 7,501 at bats, and a .274 average; the totals also include 464 home runs, 1,325 RBI, and 84 stolen bases. Cruz's career OPS of .856 combines a .343 on-base mark with .513 slugging.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nelson Cruz
- What years did Nelson Cruz play?
- Nelson Cruz played in Major League Baseball from 2005 to 2023.
- Was Nelson Cruz a pitcher?
- No. Nelson Cruz was a position player (Designated Hitter).
- How many home runs did Nelson Cruz hit?
- Nelson Cruz hit 464 career home runs with 2,053 hits.
- What teams did Nelson Cruz play for?
- Nelson Cruz played for 8 teams: the Milwaukee Brewers (2005), the Texas Rangers (2006–2013), the Baltimore Orioles (2014), the Seattle Mariners (2015–2018), the Minnesota Twins (2019–2021), the Tampa Bay Rays (2021), the Washington Nationals (2022), and the San Diego Padres (2023).
- Did Nelson Cruz win an MVP award?
- No. Nelson Cruz did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Nelson Cruz win?
- Nelson Cruz won 4 Silver Slugger awards (2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020). He was selected to 7 All-Star Games.
- What were Nelson Cruz's career stats?
- In 2,055 games, Nelson Cruz had 2,053 hits, 464 home runs, 1,325 RBI, 1,090 runs, and 84 stolen bases, with a .274 batting average.
- How much did Nelson Cruz earn in his career?
- Nelson Cruz's recorded salaries total $57,880,070 over 9 seasons, 2007 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Cruz's career ran from 2005 to 2023. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2005, 2006, and 2008.
- What was Nelson Cruz's salary?
- Nelson Cruz's last recorded salary was $14,250,000, in 2016. His highest recorded salary was $14,250,000, in 2015, and his lowest was $382,000, in 2007. The Salary History table lists each season from 2007 to 2016.
- What position did Nelson Cruz play?
- Nelson Cruz played primarily as a designated hitter, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Nelson Cruz and how much did he weigh?
- Nelson Cruz was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 230 pounds.
- How many home runs did Nelson Cruz hit each season?
- Nelson Cruz's home runs by season: 0 in 2005, 6 in 2006, 9 in 2007, 7 in 2008, 33 in 2009, 22 in 2010, 29 in 2011, 24 in 2012, 27 in 2013, 40 in 2014, 44 in 2015, 43 in 2016, 39 in 2017, 37 in 2018, 41 in 2019, 16 in 2020, 32 in 2021, 10 in 2022, and 5 in 2023. His most in one season was 44, in 2015.
- What was Nelson Cruz's career batting average?
- Nelson Cruz batted .274 over his career, with 2,053 hits in 7,501 at bats.
- How many RBI did Nelson Cruz have?
- Nelson Cruz drove in 1,325 runs in his career.