Pirates' Cruz faces doubts from sportscaster over superstar ceiling

Modified Apr 20, 2025 03:20 GMT

MLB: Cleveland Guardians at Pittsburgh Pirates - Source: Imagn — Pirates' Cruz faces doubts from sportscaster over superstar ceiling - Source: Imagn

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz turned heads by homering in three consecutive games. Two came against the Washington Nationals (including a grand slam) and the Cleveland Guardians.

Despite the high upside, Cruz's potential comes with questions. There are questions on whether Cruz could unlock an upper level in 2025 and beyond.

On Saturday, Chris Rose, on his Baseball Today podcast, talked about Cruz and whether he could become an MLB superstar in the near future, highlighting concerns about Cruz.

"The problem with him is consistency," Rose said. "He just doesn't quite do it. I have a feeling he's going to settle in and be like a high-700s, maybe 800 OPS guy, which is good enough to make you a very good baseball player. Does that turn you into a perennial All-Star, an MVP candidate? No."

Last year, the Pirates shifted Cruz to center field in 2024. The results were "nothing short of a disaster," Rose said. Cruz has four errors and negative eight runs saved.

"His routes to the baseball are not very good. When he gets there, he doesn’t always (catch it). He’s like the Nelson Agholor of center fielders," Rose said. "Like, when you hit it to him, it's 50/50 whether he's going to catch it at times. So defensively, he's a nightmare."

Chris Rose thinks Oneil Cruz will develop into a solid player and a potential All-Star.

"So, I think that he's going to end up being a solid player," Rose said. "It wouldn't surprise me if he becomes an All-Star at some point, but I think that’s probably where he tops out."

Chris Rose laughs out conversations comparing Oneil Cruz and Elly De La Cruz

Chris Rose held back his reservations on comparisons between Cruz and Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz.

"And the only reason I bring it up is because I feel like, on this show a couple of years ago, we were asking: which Cruz in the National League Central would you rather have — Oneil or Elly De La Cruz? And now, that's not even a question," Rose added.

"You'll get laughed out of baseball circles if you even pose that one ... Maybe he’ll prove me wrong. We’ll see."

It remains to be seen if Oneil Cruz can prove Rose wrong and improve in consistency and defensive attributes.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Bhargav