Pirates Notebook: Oneil Cruz locked in at the plate as Opening Day approaches
As the Pirates look to make some noise in the NL Central, Oneil Cruz will be critical to their success. After being limited to nine games last season due to an ankle injury, he has provided a reminder of his impact during spring training. On Monday, his value was on display due to his jaw-dropping power.
Against the Philadelphia Phillies, he hit two home runs, which traveled 822 feet in total. In the Pirates' 11-2 win, Cruz was the buzz of social media as his power looked effortless. With Opening Day quickly approaching, Cruz is heating up at the perfect time.
Through 34 at-bats this spring, the 25-year-old has posted a .353 batting average and driven in 14 runs. The Pirates' talented shortstop has added seven home runs to his resume, six of which have come in the last 11 days. Although it is just spring training, Cruz has started to look like the player who created excitement every time he stepped into the batters box as a rookie.
His play has earned high praise from teammates such as Rowdy Tellez, who is excited about the Pirates' future with Cruz in the lineup.
"He's going to be a generational player," Tellez told MLB.com's Joey Johnston on Monday. "He's an elite player, and he's one of the best to run out there every day at the six [shortstop] position. We have a lot to look forward to."
With Cruz back in the lineup, the Pirates' offense should get a boost. Since making his MLB debut during the 2021 campaign, Cruz has hit 19 home runs and recorded 61 RBI in 98 games. He has also made an impact with his legs, stealing 13 bases. His mix of power and speed is hard to replicate.
After having his 2023 campaign cut short, the Dominican native is more motivated than ever. Over the last week, Cruz has shown what the Pirates offense was missing from last year when he was out of action.
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