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How Pirates’ Oneil Cruz changed his hitting approach after 2025 season
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- How Pirates’ Oneil Cruz changed his hitting approach after 2025 season
How Pirates’ Oneil Cruz changed his hitting approach after 2025 season appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz wasn’t happy with his stats at the plate during the 2025 season , so he set out during the offseason to change his hitting approach. It is no coincidence that he is bouncing back this season with a .264/.322/.500 slash line and nine home runs, as he was working hard at his craft during the offseason, according to Foul Territory via X, formerly Twitter.
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“He wasn’t satisfied with what happened last year, and the work ethic followed. This dude was in the cages three days after the season,” Pirates hitting coach Matt Hague told Foul Territory.
Cruz’s 2025 season was a disaster, as he batted just .200 with 174 strikeouts. He did help the Pirates on the basepaths with 38 stolen bases, but it was a disaster for him at the plate and in the field. It hasn’t gone much better in the field this season, but Cruz is earning his playing time with what he is doing with his bat.
One interesting change in Cruz’s approach is his increased power numbers . His previous career high in home runs came during the 2024 season when he hit 21, but with nine in just 33 games, he is on pace to smash that high.
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The Pirates have been a part of a resurgence in the National League Central, with all five teams sitting above .500. Pittsburgh may not have expected to be 19-16 at this point in the season. However, they also couldn’t have predicted that the record would still have them in fourth place in the division.
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