The Pittsburgh Pirates have not been a contender for many years.
They have undergone a long rebuild but may be finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
After years of misery, the Pirates were able to load up on top draft picks and develop some young talent.
But, one player they acquired via trade in 2017 is ready to pay dividends.
That is shortstop Oneil Cruz.
The Pirates acquired him from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017.
It was hard to know how Cruz would progress through the minors as we have rarely seen a great baseball player of his stature.
But, both the Pirates and Cruz deserve plenty of recognition for making it work.
It seems like the long wait for Cruz may be over, and he looks poised for a breakout season in 2024.
According to Platinum Ke’Bryan on Twitter Cruz is slashing .316/.435/.947 this spring.
He has also hit four home runs with seven RBI.
Oneil Cruz’ home run, with the radio call added in the background
Oneil Cruz so far in Spring Training (19 AB):
– .316/.435/.947
– 1.382 OPS
– 4 HR, 7 RBI
– 4 BB, 4 SO https://t.co/oscpVGAO3b pic.twitter.com/uTE79BAr6j— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) March 12, 2024
Cruz missed nearly all of last season with a broken bone that he suffered nine games into the season.
But, he is certainly a popular candidate to have a breakout season.
If he can improve his plate discipline over a full season the sky is the limit.
So far in the spring, he has four walks and four strikeouts.
That is a good sign, but will he be able to keep that up against better pitching?
Cruz has a chance to take MLB by storm this year, and that would be great news for the Pirates.
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