Pirates' Oneil Cruz Displays Top Speed in MLB

Cruz has dominated the base paths this season, with his 18 stolen bases ranked fifth in the MLB. He has led baseball in stolen bases at other times in 2025.

His speed isn't just on steals or running home, but it's in his bat swing too, which he displayed in the last home series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.

Cruz hit the hardest home run of his career, 117.9 mph, in the 6-5 win in extra innings over the Brewers on May 23, which also saw him hit the tying home run in the ninth inning.

He then broke that record with ease on May 25, at 122.9 mph, for his third home run of the series, this one going over the right field wall and into the Allegheny River.

That home run ranks as the hardest hit ball in the Statcast era, since 2015. It also broke his previous record, which was 122.4 mph that he hit off of a slider from Atlanta Braves starting right-handed pitcher Kyle Wright on Aug. 24, 2022.

His great power and speed have combined for Cruz having his best season in the MLB so far. He is hitting just .230 and an on-base percentage of .347, but has career-highs in a .481 slugging percentage and a .828 OPS.

Cruz also has hit 12 home runs, with 42 hits, eight doubles, one triple, 26 RBIs, 32 walks to 71 strikeouts and those 18 stolen bases in 51 games in 2025.

He is trending towards a 30-50 season, with 34 home runs and 51 stolen bases, with the current production he has so far.

Cruz, if he achieved this feat, would serve as the first Pirates player to do so since Barry Bonds in 1990, when he won his first National League MVP, hitting 33 home runs and stealing 52 bases.

Only four players, including Bonds, have ever done this in an MLB season. This includes Cincinnati Reds outfielder Eric Davis, who had 37 home runs and 50 stolen bases in 1987, Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., who hit 43 home runs and led the MLB with 73 stolen bases in 2023, and Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who finished second in the MLB with both 54 home runs and 53 stolen bases in 2024.