Pirates' Oneil Cruz Decision Puts Life Back Into Cardinals Series
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the midst of an important four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park and need one bat to start coming through for them.
Oneil Cruz is back in the lineup for the Pirates, after missing the series opener with illness, as they scratched him about 10 minutes prior to first pitch vs. the Cardinals. He is back in center field and leading off for the Pirates.
Cruz also didn't play vs. the Milwaukee Brewers in the series finale at American Family Field on April 26, a 5-0 loss, which makes his first game back for the Pirates after missing two.
He had played in every game except for one this season prior to these two past contests and the Pirates desperately need his bat in the lineup.
Why Pirates Need Cruz Back in Their Lineup
Cruz has had a great season for the Pirates in 2026, slashing .259/.320/.518 for an OPS of .838, with 29 hits in 112 at-bats, five doubles, eight home runs and 24 RBI, plus 10 stolen bases.
He leads Pittsburgh in home runs, RBI, stolen bases and slugging percentage, while ranking tied for first with doubles and third in hits, batting average and OPS.
Cruz also ranks tied for 12th in MLB and tied for sixth in the National League in home runs, ranking tied for seventh in MLB and tied for sixth in NL in RBI and tied for second in stolen bases.
He has greatly improved from a disappointing 2025 campaign, where he hit .200, the worst batting average for any qualified hitter in the major leagues.
One key area for improvement for Cruz is how he's done against left-handed pitching in 2026, after he hit .102 with 11 hits in 108 at-bats against southpaws last year.
Cruz is now slashing .333/.368/.722 for an OPS of 1.090 against left-handed pitchers, with 12 hits in 36 at-bats, two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI.
His ability to hit both sides of pitchers has kept him in the lineup and as an important contributor for the Pirates.
Cruz has also been showing off his power this year, tied for the second-highest exit velocity at 96.8 mph and having the hardest hit at 119.0 mph, a double vs. the Washington Nationals at PNC Park on April 15, and the hardest hit home run, 116.9 mph off the top of the right foul pole vs. the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on April 22.
If he can overcome his 0-for-10 showing he had against the Brewers and get back to producing, the Pirates have a good chance of taking some important divisional wins over 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.