Major League Baseball is expected to suspend Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, Yankees infielder Alex Rodriguez and as many as 20 players next week, according to ESPN. Nelson Cruz, Rangers Right Fielder was not named.  Lucky for Cruz and The Rangers because he is on pace for a career year.  22 Homeruns and 67 RBI, he has been the most consistant bat this season in the Rangers lineup so if a suspension were to keep him out for any length of time it would definitely hurt. The punishment could be up to 100 games for Braun and Alex Rodriguez for 2nd offenses. Cruz has been pretty silent during the investigation this year, but has been quoted as saying, "It is a distraction," Cruz said on June 5 about the investigation. “Everywhere I go, people ask me about it. But I don’t want to put whatever happens outside of the game ahead of my job. My job is to go out there every day and play.” Luckily Texas just inked Manny Ramirez to a contract, so the (supposedly) 41 year old slugger could be making his debut in Arlington pretty soon.

There is no team that sticks out this season in the American League as a major hurdle for Texas, all of them have multiple flaws, so I think Texas will still be a contender without Cruz in their lineup.  This may be the excuse needed to get Jurickson Profar out there in an everyday role.

Cruz is a Free Agent next year and is unlikely to return to Texas giving how much money he is going to command, his age, and the slue of young talent Texas needs to place on the big league club.  So just think, depending on the length of suspension and time allowed for an appeal, we could be seeing the final few days of Nelson Cruz's Rangers career.