Yankees Eyeing Pirates Center Fielder in Trade

Cruz has slashed .219./319/.419 for an OPS of .738 in 91 games in 2025, with 72 hits in 329 at-bats, 14 doubles, two triples, a team-high 16 home runs, 40 RBIs, 48 walks to 123 strikeouts and an MLB-leading 33 stolen bases on 37 attempts.

This marks his first full season in center field, with two outs above average and two runs prevented, while making 212 putouts in 223 chances, with four assists, two double plays and seven errors.

Cruz made a 105.2 mph throw from center field, with Pirates catcher tagging Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford out at home plate at T-Mobile Park on July 6.

That throw matched the hardest throw ever by a Pirates outfielder ever in the Statcast era and the second hardest from an outfielder, with Aaron Hicks throwing one 105.5 mph for the New York Yankees in 2016.

Cruz hit the hardest home run in the Statcast era (since 2015) at 122.9 mph off of Milwaukee Brewers right-handed starting pitcher Logan Henderson, which went 432 feet over the right field wall and into the Allegheny River near PNC Park.

He starred in the 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park on July 14, finishing with 34 home runs, the most for any Pirates participant and the first player in franchise history that made the second round of the competition.

His farthest home run during the competition went 513 feet, which ranked tied for the fourth longest home run in the Home Run Derby since 2016 and tied for the farthest since 2016, excluding Coors Field in Denver, home of the Colorado Rockies in 2021, which gives batters added help due to the high elevation.

Cruz has had some difficult moments in 2025, including a fielding blunder vs. the Texas Rangers on June 20 at PNC Park, where he missed a ball coming to him and let it go back to the center field wall.

He also jogged out a double play against the Brewers on June 24 at American Family Field, which saw Pirates manager Don Kelly bench him.

The Pirates landed Cruz in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31, 2017, sending left-handed relief pitcher Tony Watson the other way.

Cruz has played in 335 games for the Pirates in his career, slashing .242/.316/.441 for an OPS of .757, with 300 hits, 62 doubles, nine triples, 56 home runs, 177 RBIs, 134 walks to 442 strikeouts and 68 stolen bases.

The Yankees have inquired about a number of Pirates players, which includes right-handed pitchers in starer Mitch Keller and bullpen arms in David Bednar and Dennis Santana, third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes and shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa.