Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz (back) hopes to return Thursday after leaving game early
Aug 24, 2016, 5:27 PM
As the Mariners head off to Chicago, fingers are crossed that Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager will be able to play Thursday against the White Sox. While Seager was out of the lineup for the finale Wednesday with the Yankees due to a bruised foot, Cruz was removed from the game with back spasms.
“It locked up on him,” manager Scott Servais said following the 5-0 loss. “It was bothering him this morning when he came in, actually started last night. He wanted to give it a go today but after the second, third at-bat it was just pointless. It really bothered him running.”
It is a tough thing for a manager to lose one of his middle-of-the-order hitters as every game is important at this point of the season, but to lose two, particularly when the team has been struggling to score runs, that could make for an anxious night. Cruz tried to reassure his skipper after receiving treatment that he would be back as soon as possible.
“It feels better,” Cruz later told the media. “The main thing was my pelvis was off, they put it back in place, I feel better.”
Had Seager not been out, Cruz very well might have asked out. At this point of the season, however, he gave it a go.
“When you are in the situation that we are in you want to win as many as you can,” he said. “The offense was shut down the last two days. I tried to do the best I could to at least be in the lineup with Seager out. I tried to push it. I don’t think it was the smart thing to do, I just want to be there.”
