CHICAGO - When Oneil Cruz gets into one, there’s not much a defense can do but watch it fly.
That happened again Sept. 10 at Rate Field, when Cruz launched a solo shot in the top of the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox. The blast put the Pirates ahead 1-0 in what finished as a 2-0 win.
The swing was a statement in every sense. Cruz crushed the ball 117 mph, the hardest-hit home run in MLB this season, and sent it 433 feet to deep center field. It was the kind of drive that leaves no doubt, a homer that would have cleared the fence in all 30 ballparks.
For Pittsburgh, it was another reminder of why Cruz matters so much, especially now that he’s back from injury and producing at a high level. The Pirates got him back on Aug. 17 after he missed more than two months with a left-hand fracture, and he’s looked like their most dangerous bat ever since.
In 20 games since returning, Cruz has hit .315/.405/.534 for an OPS of .939. He’s collected 23 hits in 73 at-bats, along with two doubles, a triple, four home runs, 18 RBIs and six stolen bases.
His power has been on a different level all season. Cruz owns the hardest-hit ball in the Statcast era, a 122.9 mph home run off Milwaukee Brewers right-handed starting pitcher Logan Henderson at PNC Park on May 25, 2025. That topped his own previous mark, a 122.4 mph line drive off Atlanta Braves right-handed starting pitcher Kyle Wright on Aug. 24, 2022, at PNC Park.
He’s also driven one of the loudest balls of 2026 already, a 119.0 mph double off the Roberto Clemente Wall at PNC Park against the Washington Nationals on April 16. On the season, Cruz carries the second-highest average exit velocity at 94.9 mph and ranks sixth in hard-hit percentage at 55.2%, which tracks balls hit 95 mph or harder.
Left fielder Jake Mangum didn’t bother dressing it up after the game.
“Yeah ,there’s not many players that can hit a ball like that on planet Earth," left fielder Jake Mangum said on Cruz postgame. "117, I haven’t seen the numbers; I know 117.
He’s a huge human that is a good athlete that can swing really hard. And that swing right there was all we needed for the shutout.
Happy he’s on our team, happy he’s back healthy and we just got to keep rolling.”
Cruz has already delivered several big swings since returning. In his first game back on Aug. 18, he hit a two-run homer in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park. A week later, on Aug. 25, he tagged Padres closer Mason Miller for a solo homer in the ninth inning of a 1-0 win at Petco Park.
Against the White Sox, Cruz added an RBI single to account for both Pirates runs. That hit helped Pittsburgh complete a sweep and secure its first road sweep of 2026.
With 15 games left in the season, the Pirates are going to need this version of Cruz if they’re going to make any kind of push toward the postseason.
In Other News...
Pirates Lose A Productive Young Bat At The Worst Time
Esmerlyn Valdez had been one of the more productive young bats in the Pirates system, so his move to the 10-day injured list lands at an awkward time for a club trying to keep options open in the outfield. The Pirates made the roster move after Valdez strained his left hamstring while running to first base, and while the injury sent him to the shelf, there is still no clear sense yet of how long he might be out.
Ronny Simon was summoned from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the open spot on the active roster, giving Pittsburgh another utility option while it waits for more information on Valdez. For now, the concern is less about the replacement and more about what the Pirates lost, since any extended absence from a young hitter with momentum can change the look of the roster quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Need Jake Mangum Again After Another Costly Outfield Loss
The Pirates were already juggling their outfield depth, and now they have another opening to cover after placing rookie Esmerlyn Valdez on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Pittsburgh recalled Ronny Simon from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the roster spot, but the more immediate effect is on the alignment behind him, where Valdez had been providing a real offensive boost even while working through some growing pains.
Manager Don Kelly said Jake Mangum is expected to see more time in the outfield, a familiar sort of assignment for a player who has already stepped in for injured teammates this season. For a club trying to keep its lineup steady through another setback, Mangums ability to plug holes again could end up mattering as much as any single bat in the short term. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Top Prospects Just Moved One Step From A Title
The Pirates High-A affiliate is still playing meaningful baseball, and several of the organizations top prospects have helped keep Greensboro in the hunt. The Grasshoppers advanced to the South Atlantic League Championship Series after taking their Division Series over Frederick, with Edward Florentino, Tony Blanco Jr., Wyatt Sanford, Reinold Navarro and Levi Sterling all contributing during the playoff run.
Greensboro now gets a chance to go one step farther, with Winston-Salem waiting in the Championship Series set to begin Sept. 13. For a Pirates farm system that has been trying to stockpile both talent and winning habits, this is the kind of stage that gives young players a little extra pressure and a little more visibility, especially with so many familiar names still in the mix. [Read more 🡒]