PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Bryan Reynolds has been the Pirates best player the last couple of years. Andrew McCutchen’s return resurrected memories. However, there was one player that grabbed fans attention every time he stepped on the field. Now Oneil Cruz is out indefinitely after suffering a fractured ankle sliding into home Sunday.
Cruz was at third base and trying to score on a grounder by teammate Ke’Bryan Hayes and as he slid home he collided with White Sox catcher Seby Zavala. He was attempting to slide, but contacted the legs of Zavala and Cruz’s leg bent awkwardly as he was tagged out.
“It was a bang-bang play at the plate,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “On a ground ball in the infield. It’s just one of those things when the infield is in and you are moving, sometimes there is contact.””
The 24-year-old was in visible pain as it first appeared the Chicago catcher stood over him and said something. Bucs’ Carlos Santana took exception to it and the benches cleared, but no punches and no ejections.
The 6’7” shortstop was hitting .267 in seven games this season with a double, a home run, four RBI and walked six times for a .378 OBP. Last season he wowed fans with 13 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs and 10 stolen bases in 87 games.
As for when we could see Cruz again?
“We don’t live in a speculative world, let’s not go anywhere,” Shelton said. “We know it’s fractured.”