For the most part, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been playing pretty good baseball this summer. They’re 36-35 with a plus-10 run differential dating back to May 20, posting the eighth-best record and fifth-best run differential in the National League since then.
However, one Pirate who hasn’t been carrying his weight recently is Oneil Cruz.
The 26-year-old slugger jumped out to a hot start this season, batting .267/.370/.567 with eight home runs, 16 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 15 walks through his first 25 games. He appeared to be taking a major step forward offensively, seemingly headed towards a career year and his first All-Star appearance.
Over the last three and a half months, however, Cruz has regressed significantly at the plate. In 82 games since April 27, he’s hitting just .189/.282/.349 with 10 homers, 35 RBI and 116 strikeouts, making him one of the worst hitters in baseball during that time.
The main issue for Cruz is his strikeout rate, which has risen dramatically. It’s gone from 25.2% through his first 24 games to 33.8% over his last 83 games. He’s simply not making enough contact, and Pittsburgh needs more from him offensively — especially with much of the lineup struggling around him.
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On the plus side, Cruz is still hitting the ball hard when he does put it in play. His 96.4 mph average exit velocity and 58.8% hard-hit rates are both career highs for a full season. He’s remained aggressive on the bases as well, stealing an NL-high 34 bags in 38 attempts. His physical tools are as impressive as ever.
It’s important to remember that while Cruz is nearly 27, he’s still relatively inexperienced. He’s only played 351 games at the Major League level — a little more than two full seasons. He’s still learning and maturing as a hitter, but the Pirates need him to reach his full potential if they want to reach theirs.
There’s still time for Cruz to turn his season around and finish strong. If he does, he’ll have something to build on heading into 2026.
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