Pirates’ Oneil Cruz gets taken out of game

Oneil Cruz Faces Challenges on the Field: A Look at His Recent Struggles

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz has been experiencing a tough stretch in recent games. Last week, his performance raised some concerns after he made an error and displayed a lack of urgency following a passed ball in center field. The situation escalated on Tuesday when Cruz was pulled from the game for losing track of the number of outs.

Manager’s Decision and Cruz’s Reflection

Pirates manager Don Kelly made the decision to remove Cruz after he didn’t hustle down the line on a ground ball that resulted in a double play against the Milwaukee Brewers. Cruz grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, prompting Kelly to comment on Cruz’s diminishing "energy and effort" as he ran to first base.

Cruz addressed reporters through an interpreter, acknowledging the manager’s decision: "DK had all the rights to do what he did, and I’ll back him up on that. It was my fault because I thought there were two outs in that situation. That’s why I let off running to first base." After the game, Kelly and Cruz had a conversation where the manager reiterated his expectations for the young player.

Recent Struggles in the Outfield and at the Plate

In addition to his base running issues, Cruz has also encountered difficulties in the outfield. He misjudged a fly ball against the Texas Rangers, allowing it to roll to the fence in the first inning.

Offensively, Cruz has not performed up to his potential, hitting just .156 with 31 strikeouts this month. Overall, he holds a batting average of .211, an OPS of .736, and 13 home runs this season. Despite leading the National League with 26 stolen bases, he tops MLB with 101 strikeouts.

"It’s difficult when you’re going through that and trying to figure it out," Kelly said. "He’s working hard to improve, and we need to ensure that his offensive struggles don’t affect his defense and base running."

Cruz’s Commitment to Improvement

Cruz insists that his base running issues are separate from his hitting slump. "They’re a really good example," he said about his teammates. "They always run hard and give 100%. That’s a teaching point for me. I accepted the way DK came to me and explained it."

As the Pirates faced a 9-3 loss to the Brewers, their record fell to 32-48 this season, and they are now 20-22 since Kelly took over as manager.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.