Rangers, Cruz Strike $16M, 2-Year Deal
Cruz avoids arbitration with 2-year deal
Getty Images
ST LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 19: Nelson Cruz #17 of the Texas Rangers misses the fly ball hit by Allen Craig #21 of the St. Louis Cardinals, scoring David Freese #23 in the bottom of the sixth inning during Game One of the MLB World Series at Busch Stadium on October 19, 2011 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
AL championship series MVP Nelson Cruz has agreed to a $16 million, two-year contract with the Texas Rangers.
The deal includes $500,000 in performance bonuses over the two years. With the agreement, negotiated by agents Sam and Seth Levinson, Cruz avoids an arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for next week.
A 31-year-old slugging outfielder, Cruz had asked for $7.5 million in arbitration and the team had offered $5.5 million. He made $3.65 million last year.
The deal came one day after Elvis Andrus and the Rangers completed a $14.4 million, three-year contract that avoided a hearing.
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