MONDAY: The Rangers officially announced that they have issued a qualifying offer to Cruz.
WEDNESDAY: The Rangers will extend a one-year, $14.1MM qualifying offer to free agent outfielder Nelson Cruz, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. General manager Jon Daniels said earlier this month that such a move was likely to happen and now tells Grant that the qualifying offer is "a relatively easy decision" for the team.
"We’d be happy to have him back on a one-year deal. And we’re not prohibited from continuing to talk to him while he sees what the market is. If he signs elsewhere, we get a draft pick that helps us as well," Daniels said.
Cruz is expected to reject the qualifying offer in search of a multiyear commitment after hitting .266/.327/.506 with 27 homers in 456 PA in 2013, roughly matching his average numbers since the start of the 2009 season. His free agent market could be limited by the fact that Cruz is 33 years old, a defensive liability in right field and was suspended for 50 games for his connection to the Biogenesis PED scandal. The draft pick compensation attached to his rejection of a qualifying offer will further limit Cruz's list of suitors, though that could potentially help the Rangers if they make an effort to re-sign him.
