It’s been a good season for Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz, but an uneven one.
Cruz crushed his 20th home run of the year on Tuesday, joining the 20/20 club for the second consecutive season. He also leads the National League with 38 steals while posting the best full-season walk rate (11.9%) and hard-hit rate (56.8%) of his career.
However, much of Cruz’s production happened in the first half. He’s tailed off since June 1, batting just .186/.271/.321 with eight homers and 99 strikeouts over his last 81 games. Participating in the Home Run Derby in July may have affected his swing, while a concussion suffered during a collision with teammate Jack Suwinski in August didn’t help.
While the 26-year-old appeared headed for a career year early in the season, his overall production isn’t where he or the team wants it to be. His .203 batting average, .384 slugging percentage and .687 OPS are all career lows, contributing to his disappointing 0.6 WAR total. He’s also struggled in the field, with his 11 errors tied for the most among MLB outfielders.
“It felt good, just like any other home run,” Cruz told MLB.com through an interpreter after Tuesday’s 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds. “At the same time, I know I can do better. The season’s not going the way that I want, but I always go out there and try to do my best, and today was one of those days where I felt like I was in a really good spot physically out there just to hit the [ground] running.”
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With his size, speed, arm and power, Cruz is one of the most physically gifted players in baseball. However, his impressive tools haven’t translated to superstardom yet, as he’s yet to make an All-Star team or receive an MVP vote.
With Cruz still under contract through 2028, the Pirates are counting on him to step up and anchor their lineup. For them to improve and reach their full potential, they need Cruz to do the same.
While Cruz has room to grow, Pittsburgh’s front office is also trying to help him reach the next level.
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“It’s definitely something that we’re really, really digging into and focused on,” general manager Ben Cherington told MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf over the weekend. “It’s really important. We thought he was there for a couple of months … I think the offseason is going to be really important for him. Mostly, it just comes down to approach and swing decisions with him. When he makes contact and barrels the ball, still really good things are happening. It’s just what pitches he’s swinging at and how consistent in that approach. It just hasn’t been there for him in the second half of the season.”
Cruz will be 27 next season — an age when many players have the best year of their career. If he makes some adjustments this offseason, perhaps he will too.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images