Pirates Make Surprising Oneil Cruz Decision Before Cardinals Game
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have benefited greatly from center fielder Oneil Cruz in their lineup, which makes this latest lineup decision perplexing.
Cruz won't start for the Pirates in their next game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on Sept. 23, as Jake Mangum takes his place in center field.
It marks the first time Cruz hasn't started a game since Aug. 23 in a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.
The Pirates won't have Cruz in their lineup for a month and 25 games, so they'll need others to step up.
Why it's Odd Cruz Isn't Starting vs. Cardinals
Pittsburgh faces St. Louis left-handed pitcher Matthew Liberatore in this one, and it's no secret the struggles they've had against southpaws this season.
The Pirates have an 18-32 record against left-handed starting pitching, compared to 62-45 against right-handed pitching.
Cruz has been the Pirates' best hitter against southpaws, batting .323/.373/.476 for an OPS of .849, with 40 hits in 124 at-bats, five doubles, a triple, four home runs and 19 RBI.
He took time this offseason to fix his approach against lefties, working with a left-handed pitcher in batting practice, and it's been a massive improvement, after he hit .102 last season.
Cruz has also been successful against Liberatore this season, with three hits in six at-bats, including a double and an RBI.
The Pirates have hit well against Libertatore in 2026, scoring four runs over 4.2 innings on May 19 and three runs over 5.2 innings on Aug. 30, both at Busch Stadium.
Cruz is more than a month removed from his official return from his left-hand fracture, so he's still dealing with pain.
He's been great since returning, hitting .309/.402/.518 for an OPS of .920 in 30 games, with 34 hits in 110 at-bats, three doubles, a triple, six home runs, 23 RBI and seven stolen bases.
The Pirates are also eliminated from postseason contention, so they can give him a rest day instead of pushing him.
Pirates Lineup vs. Cardinals and Liberatore
Player | Position | Batting Side |
|---|---|---|
Konnor Griffin | Shortstop | Right |
Rafael Flores Jr. | Catcher | Right |
Bryan Reynolds | Left Fielder | Switch |
Brandon Lowe | Second Base | Left |
Nick Gonzales | Designated Hitter | Right |
Ronny Simon | Right Fielder | Switch |
Ryan O'Hearn | First Base | Left |
Jared Triolo | Third Base | Right |
Jake Mangum | Center Fielder | Switch |
The Pirates have just two left-handed hitters vs. Liberatore, second baseman Brandon Lowe and first baseman Ryan O'Hearn.
Lowe will bat fourth for just the third time this season, last doing so vs. the Dodgers on Aug. 23 and also in an 8-3 win over the Boston Red Sox at PNC Park on Aug. 13.
O'Hearn bats seventh for just the second time this season, first doing it in a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals at PNC Park on Sept. 19.
Catcher Rafael Flores Jr. bats second for the first time in his career, the highest he's ever been in an MLB lineup.
Shortstop Konnor Griffin bats leadoff, third baseman Jared Triolo bats seventh and designated hitter Nick Gonzales bats fifth.
Left fielder Bryan Gonzales stays third, right fielder Ronny Simon hits sixth and Mangum bats ninth against the Cardinals.
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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.