When Oneil Cruz debuted as a 22-year-old with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021, he was viewed as a potential superstar. Four years later, he’s still trying to establish consistency, and Cruz has yet to make an All-Star game, which few would have predicted early on in his career.
Of course, Cruz’s incredible skill set is still on full display. He’s on pace to hit a new career-high in home runs and already has 16 on the season. He also leads the majors with 33 stolen bases through 91 games. Unfortunately, Cruz also has some flaws, such as hitting just .219 on the season, with 123 strikeouts through 329 at-bats.
In other words, as the July 31 MLB trade deadline creeps closer, Cruz may not be as off-limits as some expect. In fact, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Pirates “will listen” to trade offers for Cruz.
“Some teams have reached out to Pittsburgh about Oneil Cruz, but a source said that while the Pirates will listen, they’re not prioritizing such a move. The source called a Cruz deal ‘unlikely.’ Sounds like Pittsburgh would have to be absolutely bowled over by an offer.”
Mark Feinsand on Oneil Cruz
With Paul Skenes already turning into a superstar, it seems like trading Cruz would be a knee-jerk reaction to a poor season. Yet, it appears that if a strong enough offer came along, the Pirates may actually consider dealing their tantalizing outfielder.
Related: New York Yankees Named Top Trade Fit for 2x All-Star Enjoying Career Year
