Prior to the start of the 2026 season at Citi Field against the New York Mets, the Bucco Bantr staff gave their predictions and thoughts on what could be different this year compared to seasons past. One of the things I was most excited to see, along with a lot of the Bantr boys, was how guys like Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds would perform with added lineup protection around them.
So far, we are seeing exactly what we had hoped for.
All credit to Reynolds because he has had a solid year as well, but this piece is centered around the big fella, Oneil Cruz.
There is no true way to tell whether his success has stemmed directly from lineup protection, his more open stance, his steady head and eyes as the pitch is being delivered, his constant offseason simulations against left-handed pitching, or simply his confidence. Whatever it is that Cruz is doing right now, he should not change a thing.
Cruz is hitting .355 with 5 homers and 16 RBIs in just 16 games. His strikeouts are down and his eye at the plate is as dialed in as we have ever seen it at this level, drawing 7 walks as well. He is carrying a .429 OBP and a 1.074 OPS, good for fifth in all of MLB. On top of that, he is seemingly impossible to throw out on the bases, swiping 7 bags early this season.
Obviously that pace is not going to hold over a full season, but right now it has him tracking toward 50 homers and 70 stolen bases. If he even gets a little over half of each, Bucco fans will rejoice.
Those are the numbers, but the eye test might be even more impressive. Let’s take a look at some of his at-bats from last night:
In his second AB of the night, Cruz stepped in with the bases loaded and one out with the Pirates trailing 1-0. After falling behind 0-2 quickly, he dug his cleats in and went to work. He held off on a fastball up out of the zone, spit on a knuckle curve in the dirt that 2025 Cruz probably swings right through, nearly wore another one to work the count full, fought off a changeup to stay alive, and then tightened everything up by taking ball four just inside. It was a gritty walk, an RBI, and it tied the game at one.
In his next AB, he started 0-2 again. This time he did not waste time grinding back pitch by pitch. He got the changeup he had been fouling off earlier in the night and sent it into right field for a hit. Then he swiped second base without hesitation.
In the sixth inning, it was more of the same. Down 0-2 yet again, Cruz dug in and refused to give the at-bat away. He held off on three straight splitters out of the zone, fouled off multiple pitches to stay alive, and earned another walk on a ball in the dirt. These are the types of at-bats that stand out the most. Starting 0-2 in all of them and still finding a way on base is something we simply have not seen from him in past seasons. His plate discipline has been off the charts.
Then came the loud one.
With the offense exploding in the sixth, Cruz got another chance to hit in the inning and this appearance did not last long. He jumped on the first pitch and absolutely smoked it off the Clemente Wall at nearly 115 mph. It was a complete laser. He hit it so hard he only had time for a single, but it drove in two runs and made it 12-1 Pirates. If he gets just a little more lift on that ball, it is probably not staying in the park.. and could have seriously hurt anyone in its path.
It is just different right now. It’s so fun to watch Cruz when he is this locked in. Every at-bat feels competitive and every swing has the potential to turn into fireworks… or a should I say a missile.
This is the player Pirates fans have been waiting on. This is why you stay patient through the struggles. This is why the calls to trade him, or even cut him, always sounded insane. This is the upside, and now we are seeing it start to come together.
More importantly, this is why the Pirates can be dangerous in the NL Central. The division is wide open. The rotation is strong. There are new bats in the lineup to protect other threats, and now you add in a scorching hot Oneil Cruz who looks like he is figuring it all out.
That changes everything.
You can tune in again tonight as Cruz is expected to step in the box at around 7pm against Miles Mikolas. Right now, he is must-watch baseball. For everyone who believed a breakout season was coming, this might just be the beginning of it.
Let’s go Bucs. Hoist the Cone. Let’s raise it again tonight at PNC Park.
