Pirates Star Nearing Return From Injury
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't had one of their top players in the lineup for the past two weeks, but they're confident he'll be back soon enough.
Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz made his first appearance back on a baseball field, as he started his rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona on Aug. 23, playing in center field and leading off.
Cruz had one hit in four at-bats, vs. the Reading Fightin Phils, the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies at Peoples Natural Gas Park.
He hit an RBI-triple, 111 mph off the bat, in the bottom of the fifth inning and then scored off an RBI-single from shortstop Konnor Griffin, in the 4-2 win at home.
A casual 111 exit velo for Oneil Cruz to drive in the go-ahead run in the 5th! pic.twitter.com/3OccqaAaNe
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) August 23, 2025
The Pirates placed Cruz on the seven-day concussion list back on Aug. 13 and he has missed the past 10 games.
Cruz collided with left fielder Jack Suwinski after diving for a ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz in the bottom of the fourth inning at American Family Field in a 14-0 loss on Aug. 12.
He went first with the dive and then Suwinski came in, as Cruz hit his face right into Suwinski's chest. Cruz stayed in the game, but then Tommy Pham came in and pinch-hit for him in the top of the sixth inning, ending his outing.
Cruz did work back with the Pirates after going on the concussion list, engaging in Plyometrics exercises and taking swings in the batting cage before this rehab assignment.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington spoke to the media and expects Cruz will join the team for the series vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, Aug. 25-28.
"Barring something unforeseen, I suspect he'll fly to St. Louis tomorrow and just check in on him there," Cherington said. "Our hope is that he's very close."
Cherington also said that Cruz needed clearance from both the MLB and the Players Association for the rehab assignment, which he got, but doesn't need it to come off the concussion list.
This marked the first time that Cruz has gone on the injured list this season and the first time since April 11, 2023, when he suffered a left ankle fracture that kept him out the rest of that campaign.
Cruz has dealt with some injury issues this season, but nothing as serious as this. He most recently left a game vs. the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on July 12, after limping following hitting a single. He left the game and didn't start on July 13, but would return that game as a pinch-hitter.
He also made a steal attempt late vs. the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park on May 10, but didn't slide head first normally and pulled up, ending up dealing with lower back discomfort and departing the game.
Cruz missed the next four games, but returned vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 16.
He has struggled from the plate this season, slashing .207/.304/.398 for an OPS of .702, with 81 hits in 392 at-bats, 17 doubles, two triples, a team-high 18 home runs, 51 RBIs, 54 walks to 145 strikeouts and 34 stolen bases on 38 attempts.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.