Player News
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De La Cruz is expected to platoon in right field with Jarred Kelenic until Ronald Acuna (knee) is cleared to return to the lineup, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. As the right-handed hitter of the duo, De La Cruz would be on the short side of that platoon, although manager Brian Snitker could also choose to ride the hot hand. De La Cruz slashed .285/.309/.425 in 188 regular-season plate appearances against left-handed pitching in 2024, albeit with a 25.0 percent strikeout rate against a meager 3.2 percent walk rate, so he would appear to have a reasonable chance of thriving in that role over the first month or so of the season until Acuna is back in action.
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Atlanta signed De La Cruz on Sunday to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract. De La Cruz began the 2024 season with Miami before being dealt to Pittsburgh at the deadline. The outfielder slashed .233/.271/.384 on the year with a career-high 21 home runs, 61 runs scored and 68 RBI. The soon-to-be 28-year-old will look to compete for a spot on Atlanta's regular-season roster.
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The Pirates non-tendered De La Cruz on Friday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The Pirates acquired De La Cruz at the trade deadline, but he slashed just .200/.220/.394 across 168 plate appearances in Pittsburgh. With Billy Cook and Nick Yorke options to start in right field, the team will let De La Cruz hit free agency.
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De La Cruz is absent from Sunday's lineup against the Yankees. De La Cruz will begin Sunday's contest on the bench as Nick Yorke gets the start in right field and bats seventh. Since being acquired by the Pirates from the Marlins in late July, De La Cruz has slashed .200/.220/.294 with three home runs and 17 RBI across 168 plate appearances.
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De La Cruz isn't in the Pirates' lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees. After going 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in Friday's series opener, De La Cruz will sit down for the penultimate game of the regular season while Joshua Palacios takes over in right field.
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Stats
| Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | KO | SB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | MIA-PIT | 149 | 584 | 61 | 136 | 21 | 68 | 29 | 170 | 5 | .232 |
| 2023 | MIA | 153 | 579 | 60 | 149 | 19 | 78 | 40 | 142 | 4 | .257 |
Last 7 Games
| DATE | Opp | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | KO | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/29 | @  |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9/28 | @ |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9/27 | @ |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 9/26 | vs  |
4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 9/25 | vs |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9/24 | vs |
3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9/22 | @  |
4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Upcoming Games
| date | Opp | time | Scheduled Starter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/27 | @  |
4:10 PM | Not Announced Yet |
| 3/28 | @ |
9:40 PM | Not Announced Yet |
| 3/29 | @ |
7:15 PM | Not Announced Yet |
| 3/30 | @ |
7:10 PM | Not Announced Yet |
| 3/31 | @  |
10:10 PM | Not Announced Yet |
| 4/01 | @ |
10:10 PM | Not Announced Yet |
| 4/02 | @ |
8:38 PM | Not Announced Yet |