{"id":254352,"date":"2026-07-29T04:59:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T04:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/254352\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T04:59:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T04:59:23","slug":"pirates-give-good-news-on-oneil-cruz-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/254352\/","title":{"rendered":"Pirates Give Good News on Oneil Cruz Injury"},"content":{"rendered":"

PITTSBURGH \u2014 Oneil Cruz hasn’t played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in almost two months, but he’s on the right track towards his full return. <\/p>\n

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington spoke about Cruz on The Pirates Insider Show on 93.7 The Fan and said that Cruz is improving and his soreness and pain he was feeling prior in his swinging progression is becoming less of an issue.<\/p>\n

Cherington also anticipates Cruz remaining on the timeline he is on, coming back in early August. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still hopeful. He\u2019s had good days of late,” Cherington said. “He seems to be past the soreness that he was feeling where the fractures were, like when he was making contact early in the hitting progression, he was still feeling it. He seems to be getting past that. Those symptoms are subsiding, which is good news, just means the bones are healing and he\u2019s getting past that.<\/p>\n

“Now it\u2019s just a matter of ramping up the rest of the baseball stuff and getting through all that progression, at which point we\u2019ll get him into a rehab assignment, get him into games.”<\/p>\n

Overview of Oneil Cruz’s Injury<\/p>\n

Cruz fractured his left hand while sliding at home plate in the 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 6. <\/p>\n

He officially suffered<\/a> fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures in his left hand, which is colloquially known as a boxer’s fracture, with direct trauma to the hand that makes it painful to grip or hold things.<\/p>\n

\"Pittsburgh<\/p>\n

Jun 3, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) is tagged out by Houston Astros catcher Christian Vazquez (2) on a play at the plate during the second inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Cruz has spent most of July down in Bradenton, Fla.<\/a>, the Spring Training site for the Pirates, fully focused on his recovery and getting his hand back ready for full baseball activities.<\/p>\n

The Pirates originally had a timeline set for four to six weeks, which would’ve had Cruz come back around July 12-26.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh eventually placed Cruz on the 60-day injured list<\/a>, with the earliest return for him on Aug. 7, still 10 days away.<\/p>\n

They did this because he was still feeling pain when swinging the bat, showing that his bones were healing, but that he needed a bit more time.<\/p>\n

Cruz also needs to do a rehab assignment before he comes back to the Pirates, so the timing for his return coincided with how long he would spend on the 60-day injured list.<\/p>\n

He’ll still need to acclimate to everything needed from him, his speed on the base paths, his range and arm in center field and power with his bat, then he can come back and serve as a huge part of the Pirates lineup once again.<\/p>\n

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!<\/a><\/p>\n

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