Pirates' Oneil Cruz Takes Huge Step Toward Return
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates need any sort of boost they can get on offense and one player's return might just provide that.
Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz will start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianpolis on Aug. 7, per Pirates insider Alex Stumpf.
Cruz hasn't played for the Pirates in two months, working back from a fractured left hand that he's been rehabbing from and working to get back healthy.
It's great news for the Pirates, who desperately need Cruz and all assets of the game, as they try and salvage their season.
Where Has Oneil Cruz Been?
Cruz was having a solid year for the Pirates, but that all stopped when he went on the injured list on June 10, retroactive to June 8.
He suffered his injury when sliding at home plate in the 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 6, as Braves catcher Austin Wynns applied the tag and hit his hand.
Cruz didn't start the next game, coming on as a pinch-runner, and then was set for a return to the lineup ahead of their series opener vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on June 9, but got scratched ahead of time.
The Pirates placed Cruz on the 10-day injured list with left hand fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures, which made it difficult for Cruz to grip a bat and maintain pressure with his left hand.
Cruz had time where they rested his hand and then began with gripping exercises to build strength back up.
The reason for these exercises is that Cruz needed to be able to handle swinging a bat and making contact, crucial for him in making a full return.
Cruz had some setbacks from his original return timeline of mid-late July, as he was feeling pain when making contact with his swing, but that just meant his bones were still healing and he needed more time.
He eventually progressed with his rehab, which has been almost entirely down in Bradenton, Fla., as the pain he had subsided and he eventually resumed all baseball activities, getting him ready for this rehab assignment.
When Can Cruz Make a Full Return?
The Pirates ended up transferring Cruz from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on July 18, as his longer rehab meant that they could add a player to the 40-man roster while he was still out injured.
Cruz is already eligible for a return from the 60-day injured list, with Aug. 7 the first day he can come off it, marking 60 days since June 6.
It's unknown how long of a rehab assignment Cruz will need, but the Pirates will want him to play a few games first, so it's unlikely he's back for the series vs. the New York Mets at PNC Park this weekend, Aug. 7-9.
Cruz may likely come back for their road series with the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park, Aug. 11-13, or the next homestand, starting with the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 14.
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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.