'Thanks for getting me here,' Twins pitcher Joe Ryan says to veteran Nelson Cruz

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Twins rookie pitcher Joe Ryan interrupted his interview with Tampa Bay media members before Saturday's game against the Rays to welcome a special guest.

Tampa Bay veteran slugger Nelson Cruz stopped by outside his former team's dugout.

"Thanks for getting me here," Ryan said, greeting him.

The Twins traded designated hitter Cruz to Tampa Bay for the U.S. Olympian in a four-player deal in late July. Cruz has made the defending American League champions' potent offense even better and provides a playoff presence heading into October.

Ryan already has made impressive performances in two Class AAA starts with St. Paul and Wednesday's MLB debut against Chicago, a 3-0 loss.

"I've heard nothing but good things about him," Ryan said of Cruz. "It's pretty cool. I feel like — I'm not going to try to fill his shoes — but just coming in, having a guy that everyone in the clubhouse speaks so highly of, is great. He's a great teammate and a great leader. I think it's great for the Rays to get that. Obviously, his talent on the field, too.

"It's something to be traded for someone of that stature."

Ryan won a silver medal with Team USA last month at the Olympics and learned about the trade after arriving in Tokyo.

Ryan called this weekend's series something of a homecoming, seeing again executives and coaches who developed him and prospects from the Rays' farm system with whom he played and now, too, are in the major leagues.

"There's a lot of guys here I played with this year. It's exciting," Ryan said. "It honestly makes it feel more normal. We were talking about this is how it's supposed to be."

There's also the connection between his new manager, Rocco Baldelli, and his former team. Baldelli was a player or coach for 16 years with the Rays. That connection makes what Ryan called a "great and seamless" transition from one club to another.

"Coming in, knowing how he is as a person and how he's one of the best people in the game," Ryan said. "Having that reputation has made it so easy for me enjoying time with a new team."

As for Cruz?