Cruz's Bat Powers Chargers' Historic Win in MVP Push!
Cruz's performance in the WBC might have put him up on the block.
Pirates receive trade rumor update regarding Oneil Cruz after superstar performance in World Baseball Classic originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Pittsburgh Pirates proved they have a real contender on their hands due to the World Baseball Classic, where two of their main franchise stars, Paul Skenes and Oneil Cruz, put on clinics for their countries in the United States and Dominican Republic.
However, for one of them, their superstar performance might consequentially end their time in Pittsburgh. FanSided’s Jake Elman predicts that after his stellar performance in the WBC, the Buccos will try to put Cruz on the trade block. MORE: Cardinals proposal sees team cut ties with manager Oliver Marmol, replace him in-house with former St.
Louis legend, two-time World Series champion “The Pirates may not trade ace Paul Skenes anytime soon, but Cruz is a different story. Few will argue Cruz’s talent, though he’s coming off a 2025 season where he hit . 200 with a .
676 OPS in nearly 550 plate appearances. Add in the fact that Cruz has another two seasons of arbitration eligibility, and few would blame the Pirates if they try flipping him to a contender who is optimistic they can develop him into a reliable starter. Although he hit 20 home runs and recorded an NL-leading 38 stolen bases last year, Cruz frequently looked overmatched at the plate.