The Pittsburgh Pirates are performing with a competitive edge early this season in the NL Central. A player who has bounced back from struggles last season is Oneil Cruz.
The 27-year-old has improved his hitting against left-handed pitchers, which was a weak point of his game in 2025.
He was 11-for-108 with three doubles and a bomb against southpaws last season, and he’s already matched his total this season. Cruz is 11-for-25 with two doubles and three bombs across 21 games.
On the season, he is batting .313 with 25 hits and 19 RBI across 20 games played. The Pirates are 6-4 in their last 10 games, and while it’s through a small sample size, they are looking to be contenders following improved pitching and revamped offense.