Outfielder Cruz Acquired in Trade

It only seems a lifetime ago that Jose Cruz Jr. was the supposed answer to the Seattle Mariners’ woes in left field, where the youngster, who made his major league debut in 1997, was supposed to provide stability alongside Ken Griffey Jr., and help lead the Mariners to a dynastic future.

Eight years and seven teams later, Cruz is again carrying bright prospects for his new team as the Dodgers acquired the Gold Glove outfielder Tuesday from Boston for a player to be named later.

Yet since July 27, Cruz has twice been designated for assignment -- by Arizona and Boston -- and twice traded. The Dodgers will be his sixth team in four years.

Cruz, 31, is in the second year of a two-year contract that pays him $4 million this season and the Dodgers are responsible for a pro-rated portion of the salary, about $1.1 million.

“He obviously has the defensive versatility as a corner outfielder

DePodesta said that while the player to be named would not be a major leaguer, he could possibly come from the 40-man roster.

“Quite frankly, the last 2 1/2 years we have had very good reports on [Cruz]. We haven’t seen any kind of downturn in play.”

Still, Cruz struggled in Arizona this season, going on the disabled list from April 16 to May 19 because of a bulging disk in his lower back and enduring a career-worst 0-for-37 batting slump.

The switch-hitting Cruz has a career batting average of .248 but is hitting .215 this year.

He has also played for Toronto, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Arizona, which sent him to Boston in the July 30 trade. He played in four games for the Red Sox before being dealt again.

“He affords us choices with a strong left-hand hitting flavor,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “There was a time when his tools were electric. He still possesses that type of power.”

Cruz’s best offensive season came with the Blue Jays in 2001, when he had career highs in batting average (.274), home runs (34) and runs batted in (88) in 146 games.

It was with the Giants in 2003 when Cruz won the Gold Glove playing right field with a .994 fielding percentage.

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Jayson Werth (left knee) is on a rehabilitation assignment with triple-A Las Vegas and will return to the Dodgers today for a re-evaluation.... Jason Phillips (left hand) will return to the lineup today, probably at first base.