Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz (left) and first baseman Miguel Sano (right) warm up before playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.  Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Twins' Miguel Sano sad to see Nelson Cruz traded to Rays: 'He's my dad'

Miguel Sano was the most emotional member of the Minnesota Twins after learning Nelson Cruz had been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Twins traded Cruz to the Rays Thursday in exchange for two pitching prospects. It was a good move for Tampa Bay, which could use a power bat being just one game behind the Boston Red Sox for first place in the AL East. 

Cruz spent over two seasons in Minnesota, hitting 304./386/.598 with 76 homers and 191 RBI across 258 games.

As a way to honor the slugger, Sano wore Cruz's pants during Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. He went 1-for-3 with a walk while playing first base.

In an Instagram post, Cruz described the trade as "heartbreaking" even though he was expecting a move out of Minnesota. The 41-year-old added that he would consider re-signing with the Twins in free agency this winter. 

The Twins are fourth in the AL Central with a 41-56 record, so it's no surprise they appear to be sellers ahead of this year's trade deadline. 

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