Suspended Rangers Player Nelson Cruz Will Be Allowed To Play In Winner-Take-All Tiebreaker Game

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesWith the Rangers and Rays still tied for the final AL playoff spot, the regular season has been extended by one game and suspended All-Star Nelson Cruz will play in tonight's tiebreaker game, the team announced on Sunday.

It was originally believed that Cruz would miss the rest of the regular season when he was suspended 50 games for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy and his connection to the Biogenesis scandal.

Cruz accepted his suspension without appeal with exactly 50 games remaining in the regular season.

While the team had been mum on whether or not Cruz would be added to the roster for the postseason, they were quick to add him to the roster for the tiebreaker game once his suspension ended on Sunday. One reason may have been Cruz's success against David Price who will start for the Rays tonight. In his career, Cruz is 9-21 (.429) with three home runs against Price.

The winner of tonight's game will face Cleveland on Wednesday in a 1-game Wild Card series.