Cruz's Pittsburgh Pressure: Can He Deliver?

0:00It's March 28th. This is MLB News Today, powered by AI, you're around the diamond update. I'm Cory with the story. O'Neill Cruz, the six foot seven powerhouse for the Pittsburgh Pirates, showed his flaws right out the gate on opening day with a brutal 11-7, lost to the New York Metz. Playing center field, he misjudged a fly ball that turned into a base's clearing, triple, and then dropped another in the sun for a double, letting in. Before early runs, that mess-cut short-pitcher Paul Skins' debut, pulling him before the first inning ended. Cruz packs elite tools, though, from crushing the hardest home run ever at 122.9 mph to dominating the 20. 25 home run Derby, tying for most steals in the National League, and firing a 105.2 mile per hour throw to Nailer Runner. At home, Pirates fans are fed up, and who can blame them? Despite his 20 homers and 38 steals last year, a rare 2030 season for Pittsburgh, he hit

1:02just 200 average, the worst. Among qualified bats, and ranked near the bottom defensively in center, with negative 14 defensive runs saved. This offseason, Cruz grinded on his weak spots, training with four-time goal-glove winner, Kevin Kiermeyer, and facing more lefties after batting one. Number two against them in 2025. He even singled and scored in the first, handling routine plays after the blunders. Now at 27 in his fourth full pirate season, Cruz has to prove he's the star they crave, locking down center, leading off reliably, stealing. More bags and smashing 25 to 30 homers to finally deliver wins and silence the doubters in