ONEIL CRUZ #15 - CENTER FIELDER - PITTSBURGH PIRATES
20  HR  •
61  RBI  •
.200  AVG 
#15 - CENTER FIELDER - PITTSBURGH PIRATES
20 HR
61 RBI
.200 AVG
MLB > PITTSBURGH PIRATES >

ONEIL CRUZ NEWS

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INJURIES
Will resume running this week Cruz (ankle) is expected to restart his running progression this week, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Impact Cruz was shut down Aug. 23 due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left ankle, but he's feeling better now and still has an outside shot of returning to the Pirates' active major-league roster before the conclusion of the 2023 season. The dynamic 24-year-old shortstop has been sidelined since April 9.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Will Oneil Cruz return to Pirates in 2023? This story was excerpted from Justice delos Santos’ Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get i...
AUGUST 26, 2023 • MLB.COM
Pirates' Oneil Cruz expresses optimism on return from ankle surgery Oneil Cruz spoke on Thursday for the first time since it was learned that his return from left ankle surgery had “plateaued”
AUGUST 25, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Cruz's rehab 'plateaued,' 2023 return in doubt PITTSBURGH -- Over the course of the last couple months, the Pirates repeatedly expressed confidence that Oneil Cruz would play in Major Lea...
AUGUST 23, 2023 • MLB.COM
Halts running due to soreness Cruz has shut down his running progression due to soreness in his surgically repaired left foot, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Impact Cruz began a running program a couple weeks ago, but his ankle has not responded as hoped and his rehab has "plateaued," according to Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. As for whether the talented young shortstop could still return before the end of the season, Tomczyk said, "It's tough to tell right now, but we are running out of days." Certainly, it's not a positive development for Cruz, and with no reason to push him to return this season, it's possible the Pirates may now slow roll Cruz as they prepare him to be ready for next season.
AUGUST 23, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Off The Bat: Oneil Cruz on his time away from the game, what he's learned and upcoming battles with Elly De La Cruz Oneil Cruz spoke with the Post-Gazette about getting support at home while recovering, Carlos Santana, Elly De La Cruz and more.
AUGUST 11, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Pirates' Oneil Cruz initiates running program, marking final step before return to play The final hurdle in Oneil Cruz’s bid to return to play appears to finally be upon him. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk info...
AUGUST 10, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Cleared for running Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Thursday that Cruz (ankle) has begun a formal running program, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Impact Cruz has been throwing and taking light fielding practice for the last couple of weeks and has now been given clearance to ramp up the intensity of his workouts. If his surgically-repaired ankle responds well to the running progression, he could feasibly head out on a minor-league rehab assignment within the next couple of weeks and return to the Pirates just before the end of August. The 24-year-old shortstop fractured his left fibula while sliding into home plate back on April 9.
AUGUST 10, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
The special bond between Cruz and Santana This story was excerpted from Justice delos Santos’ Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get i...
AUGUST 5, 2023 • MLB.COM
Carlos Santana talks time with Pirates, Oneil Cruz and the possibility of returning in 2024 Carlos Santana said Oneil Cruz will work out with him this offseason. He also wouldn’t mind coming back to Pittsburgh next season.
AUGUST 4, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
May play rehab games in August Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Cruz (ankle) could begin a rehab assignment later this month, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Impact Tomczyk has been unwilling to put an official timeline on Cruz's return while the young shortstop works back from surgery to address a fractured left ankle he sustained April 9, but the organization remains confident the 24-year-old will return to the big club at some point in 2023. According to Jerry DiPaola of TribLive.com, Tomczyk said last week that Cruz has been able to move on the field laterally to corral groundballs and was also playing catch out to 150 feet. Cruz still has a few hurdles to clear -- notably, taking live batting practice, running the bases and taking part in full fielding drills -- before beginning a rehab assignment, but he could realistically be ready to report to an affiliate at some point in the second half of August.
AUGUST 2, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
'I think it's very high that he will play baseball this year': Pirates' Oneil Cruz swinging a bat for first time since injury When Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk last met with reporters, Oneil Cruz was about as close as a rehabbing baseball player...
JULY 30, 2023 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
'I think it's very high that he will play baseball this year' | Pirates' Oneil Cruz swinging a bat for first time since injury Pirates director of sports medicine expresses confidence that Cruz will return to game action in 2023
JULY 28, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Pirates' Oneil Cruz smashes a home run off Reds' Hunter Greene with an exit velocity at 111 MPH

Pirates' Oneil Cruz smashes a home run off Reds' Hunter Greene with an exit velocity at 111 MPH

JULY 28, 2023 • FOX SPORTS
Throwing from 75 feet Cruz (fibula) played catch Thursday at a distance of 75 feet, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Impact Cruz has also been doing some other range-of-motion exercises as he begins to ramp up his rehabilitation from early-April surgery to repair a fibula fracture. The current hope is that he could begin playing in live games again sometime in August. The 24-year-old shortstop has the skillset to be a league-winning contributor in fantasy over the stretch run.
JUNE 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz remains upbeat as rehab nears midway point The Pirates have found a way to remain in contention in the NL Central even without their leadoff hitter and one of the more physically intr...
JUNE 4, 2023 • PENNLIVE.COM

Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz remains upbeat as rehab from broken left ankle nears midway point

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz remains confident he will return sometime this season
JUNE 3, 2023 • Associated Press
Out of walking boot next week Cruz (fibula) is expected to remove his walking boot next week, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Impact When that happens, he'll be cleared for strength and range-of-motion exercises for his surgically-repaired left leg. Cruz is expected to be on the shelf until sometime in August.
MAY 31, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Out of boot by early June The Pirates revealed Wednesday that they expect Cruz (fibula) to be able to remove his walking boot within the next 10-14 days, MLB.com reports.
Impact At that point, Cruz will begin regaining strength and range of motion in his surgically-repaired left leg. Cruz had the operation on his leg in early April and the team said at the time they expected a four-month recovery, which tentatively puts him in line to be back sometime in August.
MAY 26, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Rob Biertempfel: Oneil Cruz (broken ankle) is four weeks post... - The Athletic Oneil Cruz (broken ankle) is four weeks post surgery. He's resumed upper-body seated strengthening and will have another about 4 weeks of no...
MAY 10, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Absence of Oneil Cruz felt, as Pirates lack offense, clear solution at shortstop Luis Ortiz made his 2023 Pirates debut but didn’t get much help as the Pirates fell to the Rockies on Tuesday at PNC Park.
MAY 10, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Are the Pirates contenders or pretenders? MLB execs discuss The vast majority of preseason prognosticators pegged the Pirates as a back-end team in the National League Central, their rebuilding projec...
MAY 5, 2023 • MLB.COM
Maturing Rodolfo Castro settling in nicely as Oneil Cruz's fill-in, provides jolt in latest Pirates win Rodolfo Castro flashed a braces-filled smile and extended his right index finger while rounding second base. The 23-year-old had just hit hi...
APRIL 27, 2023 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Cleared for upper-body work Cruz (fibula) had the staples removed this week from his surgically-repaired left leg, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Impact Cruz was also given clearance to begin upper-body conditioning weight lifting, the first significant step in what will be a long rehab process. The dynamic 24-year-old shortstop is expected to be sidelined until at least early August. Rodolfo Castro has been at short most days for the Pirates since the April 9 fibula fracture.
APRIL 27, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Jason Kendall suffered his own ugly ankle injury, and he's already sought to counsel Pirates' Oneil Cruz Jason Kendall was hitting with his son, Kuyper, on Sunday afternoon when he learned of Oneil Cruz's left ankle injury, suffered in the sixth...
APRIL 12, 2023 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
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