Nelson Cruz’s motivation to return to MLB in 2023
1 min readIt’s been a rough season for Nelson Cruz. But the 42-year-old MLB veteran isn’t ready to hang up his cleats just yet. Not just because he loves the game, but because of what his career means to other people.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Cruz talked about how his major league career has led to his community work both in the states and back in the Dominican Republic, and that he is afraid he won’t be able to give the same aid if he calls it a career.
« Many people have benefited from it, » Cruz said of the work he has done in the Dominican. « And I believe once I stop playing, that will be changed drastically. I won’t be able to provide like I used to. »
And boy, has Cruz provided. His non-profit, Boomstick 23 Foundation, has helped do everything from paving roads to building a hospital and adding a computer center in his native Las Matas de Santa Cruz. His philanthropy and work abroad have earned him multiple accolades, including the 2020 ESPY’S Muhammed Ali Humanitarian Award and the 2021 Roberto Clemente Award.