Oneil Cruz continuing to show why Pirates can't give up on him

It was a little more than two weeks ago that Pittsburgh Pirates centerfielder Oneil Cruz made headlines for all of the wrong reasons on opening day. His brutal misplays of two routine fly balls in the first inning helped confirm all of the criticisms people have for him and showed why he can be such a frustrating player for the Pirates.

The talent and tools are all there. They just never seemed to get fully contained and unleashed at the same time. Or consistently. 

Ever since that first inning, however, Cruz has not only been the Pirates' best player, but he has been one of the best players in the league. He continued to show that on Saturday in a 4-3 extra innings win over the Chicago Cubs. 

Games like this, and his recent stretch of play as a whole, are why the Pirates can not give up on him.

Oneil Cruz continuing to show Pirates why they can not give up on him

Not only did Cruz extend his hitting streak to 10 games in Saturday's win, but he also went 4-for-5 with a walk and three stolen bases. That stretch brings his overall season numbers to a .345 batting average to go with a .400 on-base percentage, a .618 slugging percentage and a 1.018 OPS. He has also continued to take great at-bats against left-handed pitching and is already close to matching his 2025 season total for hits against left-handed pitching.

While he may never be a great fielder, he has also mostly cut down on the mishaps in the outfield. If he can just play a passable centerfield and hit like the way he has been, he is a huge plus-player for the Pirates. 

These flashes of brilliance are the sort of thing that make it easy for the Pirates to dream on him and what he could possibly be if and when everything comes together. His combination of power and speed is nearly unmatched in baseball, and there is virtually no chance the Pirates could find that sort of combination on the open market. It would also be incredibly difficult to trade for. 

If he is going to put it all together and eventually break out, they need it to be for them and not somebody else. 

With Saturday's win, the Pirates are now 9-5 on the season with a chance to go for the sweep against the Cubs on Sunday. Between their young pitching staff, which is one of the best in baseball, the offseason additions of Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn, and the arrival of prized shortstop Konnor Griffin, things are really looking up for them this season. If Cruz keeps hitting like this and playing like this, the playoffs are going to be absolutely within reach for them.