Chicago White Sox: Three designated hitter free agents to add
DH. Minnesota Twins. Nelson Cruz. 23. player. 2.
The second-best option for a White Sox designated hitter is Nelson Cruz. The reason that he isn’t considered the top option is the fact that he is 40 years old and will turn 41 halfway through the 2021 season. Instead of giving him a 3-4 year deal like you would for Ozuna, you probably only give Cruz a one-year deal. He would be a fantastic bat in the middle of this already dangerous lineup.
In 2020, Cruz was a machine. He was particularly good against the Chicago White Sox so we got to see how great he was first hand. He had a 1.8 WAR and came in 6th place for the American League MVP. He had a slash line of .303/.397/.595 with an OPS of .992. Those are great numbers that he can only hope to recreate in 2021. If he did in the middle of this White Sox lineup, they would be a force to be reckoned with even more.
There are a few other positives that come from adding Cruz that goes beyond his production. The first is that if they gave him a one year deal, that would open the door for Andrew Vaughn to step into the lineup in 2022. It would also make sure Cruz is no longer a member of the Minnesota Twins where he has been great. If the White Sox no longer had to play against Cruz, it would really help the White Sox beat them more often. Even at 40 years old, he would be a great addition to the middle of this potent lineup.