Cruz's Misstep Leads to Bench Decision Amid Struggles

Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz admitted to losing track of the outs during a critical moment in Tuesday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, which ended in a 9-3 defeat for the Pirates. The incident occurred in the seventh inning when Cruz grounded into a double play, failing to hustle down the line after believing he had already recorded the third out.

With the Pirates trailing 7-3 and a runner on first, Cruz's grounder to shortstop resulted in a 6-4-3 double play. He slowed his pace after the force out at second, mistakenly thinking the inning was over. "I thought there were two outs in that situation," Cruz explained through an interpreter, acknowledging his error.

Following the play, Pirates manager Don Kelly opted to replace Cruz with a defensive substitute in the eighth inning, citing concerns over Cruz's effort. "His energy and effort going down the line were not what we expect," Kelly stated. Cruz expressed understanding of the decision, saying, "DK had all the rights to do what he did, and I'll back him up on that."

Kelly later clarified their conversation about the benching, emphasizing the expectations placed on players. "We talked. He knows the expectation. Right there, I feel we fell a little short," he remarked.

When questioned about Cruz's potential return to the starting lineup for Wednesday's game, Kelly remained uncertain. "We're going to sit down and talk, and we'll figure that out," he said.

Cruz's performance this month has been underwhelming, with a batting average of just .156 (12 of 77) and 31 strikeouts. This follows a strong start to the season where he boasted a .911 OPS in early May and hit a record-breaking 122.9-mph homer against the Brewers on May 25—the hardest-hit ball tracked by Statcast since its inception in 2015.

Currently, Cruz holds a .208 batting average with a .321 on-base percentage and a .404 slugging percentage, alongside 13 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases over 71 games. "He's struggling at the plate right now," Kelly noted. "It's difficult when you're going through that and trying to figure it out." He added that maintaining focus on defense and base running is crucial during such slumps.

Cruz insisted that his hitting difficulties "had nothing to do with what happened today" and affirmed that they do not affect his concentration on the field or on the bases. He acknowledged the value of learning from veteran teammates like Andrew McCutchen and Tommy Pham, stating, "They're a really good example. They always run hard. They always go out there to do their 100%." He appreciated Kelly's guidance and recognized it as an opportunity for growth.