FEBRUARY 25 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
ONEIL CRUZ #15 - SHORTSTOP - PITTSBURGH PIRATES
21 HR •
76 RBI •
.259 AVG
21 HR
76 RBI
.259 AVG
Oneil Cruz returns to action, Pirates bats struggle in loss to Orioles BRADENTON, Fla. — Even Mitch Keller couldn’t ignore the excitement. It had been since April 9, 2023 that he or anyone else had watched Oneil...
Making first spring start Cruz (ankle) will start at shortstop and bat leadoff in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles.
Impact Cruz didn't play Saturday in the Pirates' 5-3 loss to the Twins in the spring opener, but he'll be back in action for his first start at shortstop since April 9, when he suffered a fractured left ankle that required season-ending surgery. The 25-year-old reported to spring training at full strength and will look to get in as many game reps as possible to prepare himself for Opening Day on the heels of a lost season.
FEBRUARY 25 • ROTOWIRE
'Like he was built in a factory': The Oneil Cruz factor is huge for Pirates in 2024 BRADENTON, Fla. - Before the rest of the Pirates arrived for the first full-squad workout of spring training on Monday, Oneil Cruz leaned ba...
FEBRUARY 20 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Ortiz fans Cruz as Bucs' rotation battle heats up BRADENTON, Fla. -- A matchup of Oneil Cruz vs. Luis Ortiz is one of the best examples of power vs. power on the Pirates' roster. Cruz’s pop...
FEBRUARY 20 • MLB.COM
Fully healthy Cruz aims to give Bucs big boost BRADENTON, Fla. -- It can feel as if almost everything about Oneil Cruz is big. His stature. The exit velocities of the balls that jump off...
FEBRUARY 19 • MLB.COM
Fully recovered from injury Pirates manager Derek Shelton confirmed Saturday that Cruz is fully recovered from left ankle surgery, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Impact Shelton was asked about Cruz during the team's PiratesFest fan event and said the shortstop is "healthy" and "moving around." The 25-year-old wasn't able to make it back before the end of the season after undergoing surgery in early April to repair a fractured left fibula. Cruz did play in some instructional league games in the Dominican Republic, though, and should head into spring training without any restrictions. With a full season of healthy, Cruz represents a tantalizing fantasy talent.
JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE
Pirates mailbag: Oneil Cruz, Henry Davis or someone else ... who's on first? The Pirates likely need to address what makes sense and what doesn’t is the No. 1 topic in this week’s Pirates mailbag.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Ruled out for 2023 return Manager Derek Shelton said Tuesday that Cruz (ankle) will not return this season, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Impact Cruz has run into a couple of minor setbacks in his recovery from early-April surgery to repair a fractured left fibula and will now shift his focus toward being 100 percent healthy for the beginning of the 2024 campaign. The dynamic 24-year-old shortstop went as a top-80 pick in most fantasy drafts this spring but wound up appearing in only nine games for the Pirates. He holds a career .751 OPS with 19 home runs and 13 stolen bases through 98 total major-league games.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Pirates recall infielder Jared Triolo, Oneil Cruz runs for second time this week Jared Triolo returns to the Pittsburgh Pirates from Triple-A ball, while Oneil Cruz and Henry Davis have both enjoyed positive news in their...
SEPTEMBER 7, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Will resume running this week Cruz (ankle) is expected to restart his running progression this week, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Impact Cruz was shut down Aug. 23 due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left ankle, but he's feeling better now and still has an outside shot of returning to the Pirates' active major-league roster before the conclusion of the 2023 season. The dynamic 24-year-old shortstop has been sidelined since April 9.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Will Oneil Cruz return to Pirates in 2023? This story was excerpted from Justice delos Santos’ Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get i...
AUGUST 26, 2023 • MLB.COM
Pirates' Oneil Cruz expresses optimism on return from ankle surgery Oneil Cruz spoke on Thursday for the first time since it was learned that his return from left ankle surgery had “plateaued”
AUGUST 25, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Cruz's rehab 'plateaued,' 2023 return in doubt PITTSBURGH -- Over the course of the last couple months, the Pirates repeatedly expressed confidence that Oneil Cruz would play in Major Lea...
AUGUST 23, 2023 • MLB.COM
Halts running due to soreness Cruz has shut down his running progression due to soreness in his surgically repaired left foot, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Impact Cruz began a running program a couple weeks ago, but his ankle has not responded as hoped and his rehab has "plateaued," according to Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. As for whether the talented young shortstop could still return before the end of the season, Tomczyk said, "It's tough to tell right now, but we are running out of days." Certainly, it's not a positive development for Cruz, and with no reason to push him to return this season, it's possible the Pirates may now slow roll Cruz as they prepare him to be ready for next season.
AUGUST 23, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Off The Bat: Oneil Cruz on his time away from the game, what he's learned and upcoming battles with Elly De La Cruz Oneil Cruz spoke with the Post-Gazette about getting support at home while recovering, Carlos Santana, Elly De La Cruz and more.
AUGUST 11, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Pirates' Oneil Cruz initiates running program, marking final step before return to play The final hurdle in Oneil Cruz’s bid to return to play appears to finally be upon him. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk info...
AUGUST 10, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Cleared for running Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Thursday that Cruz (ankle) has begun a formal running program, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Impact Cruz has been throwing and taking light fielding practice for the last couple of weeks and has now been given clearance to ramp up the intensity of his workouts. If his surgically-repaired ankle responds well to the running progression, he could feasibly head out on a minor-league rehab assignment within the next couple of weeks and return to the Pirates just before the end of August. The 24-year-old shortstop fractured his left fibula while sliding into home plate back on April 9.
AUGUST 10, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
The special bond between Cruz and Santana This story was excerpted from Justice delos Santos’ Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get i...
AUGUST 5, 2023 • MLB.COM
Carlos Santana talks time with Pirates, Oneil Cruz and the possibility of returning in 2024 Carlos Santana said Oneil Cruz will work out with him this offseason. He also wouldn’t mind coming back to Pittsburgh next season.
AUGUST 4, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
May play rehab games in August Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Cruz (ankle) could begin a rehab assignment later this month, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Impact Tomczyk has been unwilling to put an official timeline on Cruz's return while the young shortstop works back from surgery to address a fractured left ankle he sustained April 9, but the organization remains confident the 24-year-old will return to the big club at some point in 2023. According to Jerry DiPaola of TribLive.com, Tomczyk said last week that Cruz has been able to move on the field laterally to corral groundballs and was also playing catch out to 150 feet. Cruz still has a few hurdles to clear -- notably, taking live batting practice, running the bases and taking part in full fielding drills -- before beginning a rehab assignment, but he could realistically be ready to report to an affiliate at some point in the second half of August.
AUGUST 2, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
'I think it's very high that he will play baseball this year': Pirates' Oneil Cruz swinging a bat for first time since injury When Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk last met with reporters, Oneil Cruz was about as close as a rehabbing baseball player...
JULY 30, 2023 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
'I think it's very high that he will play baseball this year' | Pirates' Oneil Cruz swinging a bat for first time since injury Pirates director of sports medicine expresses confidence that Cruz will return to game action in 2023
JULY 28, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Throwing from 75 feet Cruz (fibula) played catch Thursday at a distance of 75 feet, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Impact Cruz has also been doing some other range-of-motion exercises as he begins to ramp up his rehabilitation from early-April surgery to repair a fibula fracture. The current hope is that he could begin playing in live games again sometime in August. The 24-year-old shortstop has the skillset to be a league-winning contributor in fantasy over the stretch run.
JUNE 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz remains upbeat as rehab nears midway point The Pirates have found a way to remain in contention in the NL Central even without their leadoff hitter and one of the more physically intr...
JUNE 4, 2023 • PENNLIVE.COM
Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz remains upbeat as rehab from broken left ankle nears midway point
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz remains confident he will return sometime this seasonJUNE 3, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
