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The Pittsburgh Pirates have fielded calls on star center fielder Oneil Cruz ahead of the 2025 MLB trade deadline, but it doesn’t sound like he’s going anywhere unless a team offers a blockbuster return.
“Some teams have reached out to Pittsburgh about Oneil Cruz, but a source said that while the Pirates will listen, they’re not prioritizing such a move. The source called a Cruz deal ‘unlikely,’” MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported on X. In other words, the Pirates would need to be “absolutely bowled over” to part with their electric 26-year-old.
Cruz has emerged as Pittsburgh’s most dangerous power threat this season, leading the club with 16 home runs while also showcasing his elite athleticism. Through 91 games, he’s slashing .219/.319/.419 with 40 RBIs and an MLB-leading 33 stolen bases on 37 attempts. He’s also drawn 48 walks but has struggled with strikeouts, whiffing 123 times in 329 at-bats.
Despite the inconsistencies, Cruz’s tools are jaw-dropping. On June 4, he crushed a Statcast-record 122.9 mph homer — the hardest-hit home run in the Statcast era — that sailed 432 feet into the Allegheny River. A month later, he fired a 105.2 mph throw from center field to nab Seattle’s J.P. Crawford at home plate, tying the hardest recorded throw by a Pirates outfielder since 2015.
The Pirates will likely hold on to their CF
Cruz also made headlines during the 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park, blasting 34 homers — the most ever by a Pirates player — and launching a 513-foot bomb that ranked among the longest Derby shots in recent history.
Still, Cruz’s 2025 season has been far from perfect. He’s had some costly lapses, including a fielding blunder against the Texas Rangers on June 20 and a lack of hustle that led to a benching by manager Don Kelly four days later. “We talked, but he knows the expectation going forward,” Kelly said after pulling him from the lineup. Cruz owned the mistake, saying, “It was my fault. I thought there were two outs in that situation, and that’s why I let up running down to first base.”
Since that incident, Cruz has looked sharper, slashing .242/.301/.470 over the past month. His mix of raw power, elite speed, and a cannon for an arm still makes him one of the league’s most tantalizing young stars. With a salary of just $785,000 this year and three more years of team control, Cruz represents both a bargain and a potential cornerstone for Pittsburgh’s rebuild.
The Pirates, however, are in no rush to deal him. While other veterans — such as starters Mitch Keller and Andrew Heaney, relievers David Bednar and Dennis Santana, and infielders Ke’Bryan Hayes and Isiah Kiner-Falefa — have also drawn interest, Cruz remains the name fans hope stays put.
Given Cruz’s upside and affordability, the Pirates’ stance makes sense. It would take a king’s ransom to pry away one of baseball’s most dynamic athletes. For now, barring an overwhelming offer, it looks like Cruz will keep thrilling fans at PNC Park well beyond this trade deadline.
