Pirates Place Oneil Cruz on Injured List
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates won't have one of their more important players on the field for the next few games due to injury.
The Pirates announced that they placed outfielder Oneil Cruz on the seven-day concussion injured list and recalled outfielder from Triple-A Indianapolis.
We have placed OF Oneil Cruz on the seven-day concussion injured list, and recalled OF Ronny Simon from Triple-A Indianapolis.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 13, 2025
Cruz collided with left fielder Jack Suwinski after diving for a ball hit from Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz in the bottom of the fourth inning at American Family Field.
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.
Since Cruz went on the concussion list, he'll need clearance from both the MLB and the Players Association, before he starts a rehab assignment and then rejoins the Pirates.
This marks 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.
The Pirates have an outfield group of Alexander Canario, Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen, Simon, Pham, Suwinski, plus utility man Liover Peguero.
Canario and Suwinski will likely make the bulk of the starts in center field with Cruz out. Pham and Reynolds will likely start most the games in left field and right field, respectively.
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.