Pirates' Oneil Cruz Returns to Lineup vs. Phillies
PHILADELPHIA — The Pittsburgh Pirates will have one of their everyday starters back in the lineup.
Oneil Cruz will start for the Pirates in center field and leadoff in the second game of the series vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Cruz hasn't started in a week since May 10 vs. the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park. He tried to steal second base on a walk and pulled up before he slid into second base, resulting in him departing the game following the end of the ninth inning.
Pirates manager Don Kelly said Cruz was day-to-day and dealing with lower back tightness.
Cruz made his first appearance from that injury on May 16 in the series opener vs. the Phillies, where he struck out as a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded in the 8-4 defeat.
He is hitting .237/.366/.458 with an OPS of .824 in 38 games, with 31 hits in 131 at-bats, five doubles, eight home runs, 18 RBIs, 26 walks to 48 strikeouts and 16 stolen bases, which rank tied for second most in the MLB.
The Pirates also bring back Bryan Reynolds into the starting lineup, after he didn't start in the season opener vs. the Phillies, marking only the second game he hasn't played in 2025.
He will head back to right field and hit third in the lineup, dropping down from his normal No. 2 spot for his third straight start.
Spencer Horwitz also makes his season/Pirates debut, starting first base and hitting fifth in the lineup. He has dealt with a right wrist injury that kept him out of Spring Training and every Pirates game so far, but is back after rest, working out and two rehab assignments.
Nick Solak, who received his Pirates callup the day prior, makes his second straight start. He'll start in left field, coming in for Tommy Pham, and moving from first base in his first game. He will stay at sixth in the batting order.
Andrew McCutchen and Joey Bart will stay at designated hitter and at catcher, plus second and fourth in the lineup, respectively.
Ke'Bryan Hayes, Adam Frazier and Isiah Kiner-Falefa round out the infield at third base, second base and shortstop, respectively, but will all move down the lineup to seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively.
Right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski makes his ninth start of the season, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m.
Pittsburgh Pirates Lineup vs. the Philadelphia Phillies
CF Oneil Cruz
DH Andrew McCutchen
RF Bryan Reynolds
C Joey Bart
1B Spencer Horwitz
LF Nick Solak
3B Ke'Bryan Hayes
2B Adam Frazier
SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Game 2 in Philly.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 17, 2025
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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.