Oneil Cruz Finally Became the Player We Waited For. Now What?

Jared Jones called this Pirates season a case of “what could have been,” and maybe no player fits that better than Oneil Cruz.

Alex Stumpf looks at the version of Cruz we finally saw in 2026, the adjustments that helped unlock him, how much his lengthy hand injury may have cost him statistically and just how special a full healthy season could look. Then, with only two years of team control remaining, Alex looks ahead to 2027 and the bigger question surrounding Cruz’s future in Pittsburgh.

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