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Cruz went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 8-3 win over the Reds.
The center fielder got things rolling for the Pirates when he hooked an Andrew Abbott curveball 407 feet down the right-field line in the first inning. Cruz has three homers in six games to begin the season, and all three have come in the last two days. He's batting .304 (7-for-23) with six RBI and seven runs, though he's still looking for his first steal of 2026.
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Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Goes yard twice in win
Rotowire
Cruz went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and a third run scored in Tuesday's 8-3 win over the Reds.
The 27-year-old center fielder crushed a Brandon Williamson cutter an estimated 444 feet to lead off the fourth inning, before adding a two-run blast in the ninth off Pierce Johnson. They were Cruz's first homers and RBI of the season, and while he's batting .278 through five games, he's also struck out nine times in his first 19 plate appearances of 2026.
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Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Gets start against lefty
Rotowire
Cruz will start in center field and bat eighth in Tuesday's game against the Reds.
It's the first start for Cruz against a left-handed pitcher since Aug. 2 of last season, as he was out of the lineup the final 12 times the Pirates faced a lefty last year and the first time they went up against a southpaw in 2026. The left-handed-hitting Cruz is a career .174/.249/.315 hitter against southpaws.
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Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Taking seat Saturday
Rotowire
Cruz isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Mets.
A couple of defensive miscues from Cruz allowed the Mets to take an early 5-2 lead in the first inning of Thursday's contest, so the Pirates will keep the 27-year-old on the bench to begin Saturday's game while Jake Mangum patrols center field.
Cruz went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
Cruz's home run in the fifth inning was his first of the spring, though he's otherwise had a solid start to the exhibition season. He has seven hits across 13 at-bats, while striking out four times in 15 plate appearances. Cruz has also chipped in three stolen bases while getting several chances to lead off early on in Grapefruit League action.
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