Pirates' Oneil Cruz Returns from Injury
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have missed having Oneil Cruz around the team, but they won't have to wait any longer for his return.
The Pirates activated Cruz off the 60-day injured list ahead of the series opener vs. the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on Aug. 17, giving him a chance to play for the team for the first time in two months.
Pittsburgh optioned outfielder Ronny Simon to Triple-A Indianapolis as the corresponding move for Cruz, making room for him on the 26-man roster.
Cruz isn't in the starting lineup against the Tigers, but the Pirates will be happy he's ready to contribute once again.
Why Cruz Hasn't Played for Pirates
Cruz hasn't played for the Pirates since June 7 and has spent the past two months rehabbing from a left hand fracture.
The Pirates center fielder suffered this in the 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 6, as he slid into home plate, but catcher Austin Wynns applied the tag right on his hand
He soon went on the 10-day injured list on June 10 and then the 60-day injured list on July 18, as his rehab took longer than originally anticipated.
Cruz worked back by going through gripping exercises and having his bones heal, with the official diagnosis as fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures in that left hand.
It took him time to adjust to hitting again, as he had to build back strength and deal with the pain of the healing process, as hiting a baseball, especially as hard as Cruz does, is something that requires great strength on contact.
Cruz started his rehab assignment on Aug. 7 and played six games, two with Indianapolis and four with Double-A Altoona.
He finished with three hits on 22 at-bats and three walks to seven strikeouts, with one RBI and one stolen base, while starting five games in center field and serving as designated hitter for one game.
Cruz Returning is Huge for Pittsburgh
Cruz will give the Pirates a big boost in the lineup, as they've missed his production from the plate, particularly his power, and also his speed on the base paths.
He hit .264/.350/.472 for an OPS of .822 in 64 games, with 66 hits in 250 at-bats, 10 doubles, 14 home runs, 44 RBI and 21 stolen bases on 25 attempts.
Cruz was the first player in the 10-10 club (10 home runs, 10 stolen bases) and was on pace for about 35 home runs and 53 stolen bases, putting him the exclusive 30-50 club.
One big improvement Cruz made that the Pirates need right now is his hitting against left-handed pitching, slashing .312/.361/.506 for an OPS of .867, after batting .102/.224/.176 for a an OPS of .400 last season.
The Pirates have had Jake Mangum as the starting center fielder in his place and he's filled his role quite well, batting .304/.351/.414 for an OPS of .765, with 69 hits, 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 19 RBI and 11 stolen bases.
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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.