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Sep 10, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (15) looks on before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Oneil Cruz Must Now Earn Pirates Trust

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Mar 28, 2026 7:00 AM ET

PITTSBURGH — Oneil Cruz is one of the most physically talented and gifted players in baseball, but he has also failed to live up to those expectations with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cruz made two big mistakes in center field, which played a big role early on in the Pirates' 11-7 loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field on Opening Day, serving as a bad start to a crucial season for him.

He started back too far on a fly ball from Mets designated hitter Brett Baty, which ended up a bases-clearing triple, and then missed a ball in the sun that dropped for a double, scoring another run, totaling four runs for the home team.

Even worse for Cruz was that it helped end Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes' start before the end of the first inning, marking Skenes' first MLB game he didn't go at least one inning.

It also confirmed to Pirates fans that they still haven't yet seen Cruz reach what the potential they think he has, something that gets more and more frustrating, especially if he doesn't do it in 2026.

Pirates Fans' Frustrations With Oneil Cruz

There's a lot to like about Cruz and what he's done in a Pirates uniform, but also some areas of his game that have disappointed as well.

Cruz, who stands 6-foot-7, 248 pounds, is a towering figure that can hit for incredible power, create and maintain top speed on the base paths and has a strong arm that does suit him in center field.

He has shown this by hitting a home run 122.9 mph, the hardest home run hit ever in the Statcast era (since 2015), dominating in the 2025 Home Run Derby, tying for the most stolen bases in the National League last season and making a 105.2 mph throw home to tag a player out, marking the second hardest throw in the Statcast era.

Cruz has also had incredibly frustrating moments as well, which come from his "perceived" lack of effort or poor production from the plate.

He had two moments last year that exemplified this, including one against the Texas Rangers at PNC Park where he missed a ball that went past him and then looked back behind him while Adam Frazier threw it back to the cutoff man.

Cruz, a few days later in a road game vs. the Milwaukee Brewers, didn't run hard on a ground out, which prompted Pirates manager Don Kelly to take him out. Cruz did clarify after the game that he thought there were two outs and not one, but supported his manager's decision.

He managed to stay out of trouble the rest of the season, but his play from the plate was incredibly poor, as he finished with a .200 batting average, the worst of any qualified hitter in baseball last year.

Cruz was also poor defensively in center field, finishing with -14 defensive runs saved (DRS) and -11 defensive runs saved above average, both the second worst marks of any player at his position according to FanGraphs.

Even with that, he still had the most home runs on the team, 20, and stole 38 bases, marking for a 20-30 season, one of just four Pirates players to do that.

Pirates fans want to see more of his great moments, like his home runs and throws out at home, and less of his massive mistakes in the outfield and struggles at the plate.

Is Their Hope for Cruz to Turn it Around?

Cruz is 27 years old and is now in his fourth full season withe Pirates in 2026, making it the time for him to show he can become the player they envision him as.

While that performance in the first inning on Opening Day wasn't great, he also had some solid at-bats, with a single in the first inning he later scored on, and made the routine plays needed in center field.

Cruz did take the time this offseason to work on the areas of his game he struggles with the most.

This included working with four-time Gold Glove Award winner Kevin Kiermaier, who also played center field and facing left-handed pitching in Spring Training, after he hit .102 against southpaws in 2025.

Cruz has some of the benefit of the doubt that it was just the first game of the season. He can come back in the second contest, make the right plays in center field and drive in runs he'll be on the right track.

It's the grind of an entire season where Cruz must earn the fans' trust that he can play a major role in bringing winning baseball back to Pittsburgh.

Can Cruz avoid the same mistakes he has made in center field? Can Cruz become a reliable leadoff hitter? Can he steal even more bases in 2026? Can he hit 25-30 home runs this year?

The Pirates need Cruz to answer these questions and quell the doubts of a fanbase, who are desperate for success.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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