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Pittsburgh Pirates Star Oneil Cruz has undergone a rough couple of games.
Cruz’s mistake and defective efforts after a passed ball in the middle field raised eyebrows last week, and then he was removed from the game on Tuesday after he lost an overview of outs.
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Pittsburgh Pirates Outfielder Oneil Cruz, #15, only runs after hit a single in the fourth round against Detroit Tigers in Comerica Park in Detroit on June 17, 2025. (Rick osentoski-stated images)
Pirates Manager Don Kelly took Cruz out after he failed to run a double-play grape against Milwaukee Brewers. He grounded in a 6-4-3 double game. Kelly said cruz was removed due to “energy and effort to walk down the line.”
Cruz told journalists through an interpreter that he understood the decision.
“DK had all the rights to do what he did, and I will back up him,” Cruz said. “It was my fault because I thought there were two outs in this situation. That’s why I got rid of running to the first base.”
Kelly said he and Cruz spoke afterwards and he communicated his expectations.
Cruz suffered an outfield bomb against Texas Rangers. He rated a ball and then rolled to the fence in the first place of that game.
Pittsburgh Pirates Manager Don Kelly in Dugout in the fourth round against Detroit Tigers in Comerica Park in Detroit on June 19, 2025. (Rick osentoski-stated images)
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On top of everything else, Cruz does not hit like the swallowing, he has been promised to be. He has fought .156 with 31 strikes this month. Generally, he hits .211 with a ops of .736 and 13 home runs. He leads the National League with 26 stolen bases, but leads MLB with 101 strikes.
“He’s fighting on the record right now,” Kelly said. “It’s difficult when you go through it and try to find out. He works hard to do it. It’s one thing we need to be aware of is not to let this offense transfer to defense and base run, and the energy and effort we give on other aspects of the game.”
Cruz maintained that his problem on the base paths had nothing to do with his fall on the record.
“They are a really good example,” Cruz said. “They always run hard. They always go out there to make their 100%. It’s a teaching point for me. I accepted the way DK came to me and explained it and presented it to me.”
Pittsburgh Pirates Outfielder Oneil Cruz, #15, catches a fluff ball against Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round at the American Family Field in Milwaukee on June 23, 2025. (Michael McLoone-Preferred Pictures)
Pittsburgh fell to 32-48 this season after losing 9-3 to the breweries. The pirates are 20-22, since Kelly took over for Derek Shelton as manager.
