One of the clearest problem spots on the Pirates roster has an answer hiding in plain sight, and it starts with Oneil Cruz.
Pittsburgh’s issues against left-handed pitching were brutal in 2026, especially when a lefty took the mound to start. The Pirates managed only a .229/.300/.359 line in those games, and all three numbers sat dead last in the league. That went hand in hand with an ugly 18-33 record against left-handed starters, a hole that played a major role in sinking the club’s playoff hopes.
The obvious fix would be to go hunt for a right-handed bat or two, but the roster picture makes that easier said than done. The Pirates also need help in the rotation, need bullpen reinforcement, and, most importantly, need to re-sign Brandon Lowe. That leaves limited room to chase the kind of high-end right-handed power that would seem to solve the issue in one swing.
That’s where Cruz makes this story a lot more interesting.
After a rough 2025 season in which the six-foot-seven outfielder hit .200/.298/.378, 2026 felt like a make-or-break year. His struggles against lefties were a big part of the concern; he hit just .102 against southpaws in 2025, a number that stood out even for a hitter who had already shown left-handed pitching could give him trouble.
This season, though, Cruz flipped the script. Instead of being overwhelmed by lefties, he punished them.
He hit .326 against same-handed pitchers, adding a .374 on-base percentage and a .473 slugging percentage. In a year where the Pirates badly needed more production from that side of the plate, Cruz became one of the clearest examples of a turnaround.
Oneil Cruz played just 97 games in 2026.
.280 AVG
20 HR
67 RBI
30 SB
.854 OPS
Against LHP: .326 AVG / .847 OPS
Is a healthy Oneil Cruz an MVP-caliber player in 2027❓ pic.twitter.com/ZXB9FqsUN7
- SleeperPirates (@SleeperPirates) September 30, 2026
That raises the obvious question: if the coaching staff helped Cruz find this kind of success against left-handed pitching, why stop there?
The answer for Pittsburgh looks like a blend of outside help and internal fixes. A bargain veteran right-handed hitter with a track record against lefties would make sense. So would a closer look at the adjustments that helped Cruz break through, followed by an effort to apply those same lessons to other hitters on the roster who also struggle in those matchups.
It’s a practical approach, and for the Pirates it may be the only realistic one. They can’t count on one expensive move to clean up everything.
But if they combine a smart veteran addition with the kind of development work that unlocked Cruz, they give themselves a real chance to patch one of their biggest offensive flaws. If they don’t, 2027 could look a lot like the disappointment that came before it.
In Other News...
Pirates Spending Criticism Could Soon Come With Real Consequences
The latest labor proposal from the Major League Baseball Players Association would put a sharper edge on one of the Pirates longest-running criticisms. Instead of simply taking heat for running a lean payroll, clubs like Pittsburgh could face a system built to push small-market teams to spend more, with expanded revenue sharing, a competitive integrity tax and higher minimum salaries all part of the package.
For owner Bob Nutting, the message is obvious: the current model of doing business may not survive the next round of bargaining in the same form. The proposal is designed to reward clubs that turn revenue-sharing support into roster investment, and the Pirates would be one of the teams most affected by any new standard that makes low spending more expensive to defend. [Read more 🡒]