Prior to injuring his hand, Oneil Cruz had been playing the best baseball of his career. Cruz is batting .264 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs.
The home run hitter has been a consistent force for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he is struggling in one spot: strikeouts. Cruz ranked number one in total strikeouts when he last played on June 6.
Outside of the Strikeouts, Oneil Cruz Has Been Productive
Currently, Cruz has struck out 98 times through 64 games this season. Prior to his injury, he was on pace to break the strikeout record, set by Mark Reynolds at 223 in the 2009 season. Cruz is averaging over 1.5 strikeouts per game.
Cruz’s strong production and improvements in 2026 make the high volume of strikeouts not as big of an issue as it may sound. Cruz struggled last season, finishing with just a .200 batting average. Being one of the game’s most promising athletes, this was a disappointing end to what looked like a solid season from the start.
Cruz’s improvements at the plate were helping the Pirates win more games this season. Against lefties, Cruz is batting .312 with four home runs and 13 RBIs. In 2025 versus lefties, Cruz was abysmal. He batted just .102 and hit one home run.
The stats show how much more the Pirates trust Cruz. Against lefties in 2025, he batted just 102 times; in 2026, he has already batted 77 times against lefties. Cruz worked tirelessly throughout the offseason, and it is showing.
“No time to relax, definitely because the season that I had last year was not my best season…I just went right to work…Focus on what I need to do to get better,” Cruz said.
Cruz spoke on his training and mindset in January before spring training. He credited his previous MLB experience with improving his reaction to pitches and angles.
Home Run Hitters Strikeout More Often
When looking at power hitters and home run hitters of now and the past, many of them lead or led the league in strikeouts. This season, Kyle Schwarber is atop the list with over 120 strikeouts, but he also leads the league with 30 home runs.
Jim Thome is a good historical example — Thome has the eighth most home runs in MLB history, and has struck out the second most times in MLB history.
Obviously, getting the ball in play is statistically better for the team as a whole, but when a player is contributing extra-base hits and home runs consistently, striking out is less of an issue. Cruz’s improvements in both contact and fielding have tremendously helped the Pirates this season…but Cruz would be on pace for 248 strikeouts if he played all 162 games.
Cruz’s Return From the IL
Oneil Cruz has been out of the lineup since the beginning of June and is expected to remain sidelined into July. The 27-year-old is reported to begin rehabbing in Florida, the same area the Pirates hold their spring training, as he nears his return. The Pirates have missed the speedy center fielder as they have hovered around .500 during his absence.
It seems the hand injury Cruz suffered against the Atlanta Braves is going to save him from breaking the strikeout record. Cruz has missed over 20 games and will likely miss the first two weeks of July, and possibly return to action after the All-Star break.
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