Pirates Give Update on Oneil Cruz Injury
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz suffered an injury in the last game vs. the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park.
Cruz made it to first base on a walk in the bottom of the ninth inning and then tried to steal base when right fielder Tommy Pham got walked as well.
He didn't slide as he normally would when stealing and then pulled up past the second base bag.
Oneil Cruz may have hurt his left leg.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/TCQf8OpmVC
— Talkin' Twins (@TalkinTwins) May 10, 2025
The Pirates took Cruz out before the game went into extra innings, as they moved rookie Matt Gorski from first base to center field, Jared Triolo from shortstop to first base and then brought in Liover Peguero to shortstop.
Cruz had his MLB-leading 16th steal in the third innning and would later score the first run of the game for the Pirates in the 3-2 defeat in 11 innings to the Braves.
Pirates manager Don Kelly said after the game that Cruz has lower back tightness and is day-to-day.
If Cruz can't go for the near future, the Pirates will rely on outfielders in Ji Hwan Bae, Gorski and Pham in center field going forward.
Cruz has excelled with the Pirates this season since moving into the leadoff spot on April 14, hitting over .250 and having an on-base percentage near .400.
He has four leadoff home runs for the Pirates, doing so in back-to-back games at PNC Park vs. theWashington Nationals on April 17 and the Cleveland Guardians on April 18. He also opened the 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on April 24 with a home run and vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 27.
Cruz has eight home runs on the sesaon, tied for 11th most in the National League and leads the Pirates.
He also hit his first grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning of the 6-1 win vs. the Nationals on Apri 16.
Cruz has slashed .238/.369/.482 for an OPS of .831, with 31 hits, five doubles, eight home runs, 18 RBIs, 26 walks to 47 strikeouts and 16 stolen bases with just one time caught stealing.
The Pirates acquired Cruz from the Dodgers on July 31, 2017, as he and Angel German went to Pittsburgh and left-handed relief pitcher Tony Watson went to Los Angeles.
