Oneil Cruz Places Himself Among Pirates Greats
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PITTSBURGH — Oneil Cruz hasn't had an easy season, but he's still shown why the Pittsburgh Pirates are so on high on his future.
Cruz joined the 20-20 club after his solo home run in the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at PNC Park, tying the game at 1-1 in a 4-3 win in the series finale on Sept. 20.
He has 20 home runs and 28 stolen bases in 2026, marking his third straight season joining the 20-20 club, with 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 2024 and 20 home runs and 38 stolen bases in 2025.
Cruz becomes the third Pirates player to have three straight 20-20 seasons, along with outfielders Barry Bonds (1990-92) and Andrew McCutchen (2011-13).
Cruz Excelling Since Return From Injury
The Pirates missed Cruz for much of the season due to injury, losing one of their best bats in the lineup.
Cruz fractured his left hand sliding into home plate against the Atlanta Braves on June 6, went on the injured list on June 10 and didn't return to the Pirates until Aug. 17, missing 61 games.
He's been fantastic since coming back, slashing .318/.407/.533 for an OPS of .940 in 29 games, with 34 hits in 107 at-bats, three doubles, a triple, six home runs, 23 RBI and seven stolen bases on 10 attempts.
Cruz has also come up big for the Pirates, with a two-run home run in his first game back to earn a 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on Aug. 18 and a go-ahead solo home run off of San Diego Padres All-Star closer Mason Miller in a 1-0 win at Petco Park on Aug. 25.
His power is still among the best in baseball, as he showed with an MLB-best 117.4 mph exit velocity on his solo home run in the 2-0 win over the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Sept. 10.
Cruz attributed his recent play to the Pirates' coaching staff and his teammates, leaning on their guidance and support through a tough time and even now, as his hand isn't fully healed.
"It hasn't felt 100% the whole time, but I've decided it was time to play and come back, and I just put my mind into it," Cruz said through interpreter Stephen Morales. "I told myself that if I decide to come back, I'm just gonna do my best every day."
Where Cruz Could've Been With A Healthy 2026
A 20-20 season for Cruz is a solid honor, and even more impressive is that he did it in just 93 games, compared to 132 in 2025.
Cruz should've had a much better season, as he was the first MLB player to join the 10-10 club, and was on pace for 34 home runs and 53 stolen bases before his injury.
He would rank 10th in home runs and first in stolen bases, had he stayed fully healthy and on track and likely in the National League MVP conversations.
Cruz has improved greatly this season, even from the first half, when he hit .264/.350/.472 for an OPS of .822, but especially from his 2025 campaign, slashing .200/.298/.378 for an OPS of .676.
His most impressive change has come against left-handed pitching, batting .323/.373/.476 for an OPS of .849 in 2026, compared to his dismal .102 batting average against southpaws in 2025.
Pirates manager Don Kelly praised Cruz for his growth this season in all areas of his game and for working through his injuries, showing the 27-year-old's maturation in an important part of his career.
"He's had an unbelievable year, and I think we've talked about it in a lot of different ways that it stood out," Kelly said.
"The way that he's grown, being able to separate the offense and defense, play through injuries, play through discomfort, and to to get to 20-20 in 93 games while dealing with what he's dealt with, he worked extremely hard specifically against left-hand pitching, but overall this off-season put himself in a great spot and has followed up with an outstanding year."
Cruz won't get to play in the postseason this year, as the Pirates have already been eliminated and have just six games remaining in 2026.
He's been a big reason the Pirates had a chance this year and if he can stay healthy in 2027, he should play an important role in bringing winning baseball back to Pittsburgh.
"You learn every time," Cruz said on 2026. "This year, not an exception. I learned a lot this year, and also the conversations with the players that been around major league baseball before in the clubhouse, and put [their] advice in play, it helps a lot."
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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.