Minnesota Twins designated hitter has been scratched from Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox with a neck injury.
While it’s common for a 41-year-old to have an injury pop up, this one is interesting in that Cruz injured his neck while coughing.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters that Cruz has been battling a chest cold “for weeks” and had been “coughing violently.” Per The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman, the coughs have become so violent that Cruz can’t turn his head, which has taken him out of the lineup.
Cruz’s injury is the latest in a string of injuries that have plagued the Twins this season. Byron Buxton, Josh Donaldson, Max Kepler, and others have had extended stays on the injured list and are a key reason the Twins are in last place entering Monday’s opener with the White Sox.
Cruz is hitting .306 with 18 homers and 45 RBI on the season and was selected as the Twins’ lone representative in the MLB All-Star Game. With Cruz out of the lineup, the Twins will have another key piece missing as they host their divisional rivals.
