Pirates Mysteriously Pull Oneil Cruz From Lineup
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates won't have one of their best players in their lineup ahead of their first game of their homestand, who was originally scheduled to play.
The Pirates announced that they removed center fielder Oneil Cruz from the lineup ahead of their series opener vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park.
They initially didn't have a reason for Cruz not being in the lineup, but eventually revealed after the 6:40 p.m. first pitch start that they removed him due to illness and that the club medical staff was treating him.
Jake Mangum is now in center field and will hit eighth for the Pirates, with this his second start at the position, with his first since the second game of the season, which Cruz also sat after a poor showing defensively on Opening Day.
Cruz didn't play in the game the day prior, the 5-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in the series finale at American Family Field on April 26, but that had more to do with the Pirates facing left-handed starting pitcher Kyle Harrison, with the lineup featuring just one left-handed batter against him.
What the Pirates Miss With Oneil Cruz Being Out
The Pirates will need to get some offensive production without Cruz, who has slashed .259/.320/.518 for an OPS of .838, with 29 hits in 112 at-bats, five doubles, a team-high eight home runs and 24 RBI, plus 10 stolen bases.
It's been a good season for the 27-year old, who was coming off a disappointing campaign in 2025, where he hit .200, the worst batting average for any qualified hitter in the major leagues.
Cruz hit two home runs in the series vs. the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field, which included a three-run home run that hit the top of the foul pole in the ninth inning of the 8-4 win on April 22.
His power has been impressive, but his success against left-handed pitching has been even better, something he focused on heavily during Spring Training.
Cruz is slashing .333/.368/.722 for an OPS of 1.090 against southpaws, with 12 hits in 36 at-bats, two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI, after a 2025 campaign where he hit .102 with 11 hits in 108 at-bats against them.
The Pirates need Cruz back in the lineup sooner rather than later, but they still have some great bats in second baseman Brandon Lowe, right fielder/first baseman Ryan O'Hearn, left fielder Bryan Reynolds and other contributors that will try to keep a solid offense going in 2026.
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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.