The Pittsburgh Pirates have been without shortstop O'Neil Cruz for nearly the entire season, and it is reportedly unknown whether or not he will be able to return to the lineup at some point before the 2023 season ends.

“It's tough to tell right now, but we are running out of days,” Pirate Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomzyk said, via Alex Stumpf of DK Pittsburgh Sports.

O'Neil Cruz had surgery on his ankle after a collision at home plate early on in the season. Cruz started a running program approximately two weeks ago, but stopped after experiencing soreness in his left foot, according to Stumpf. Todd Tomzyk described Cruz's situation as “plateaued” after making progress over the previous four months.

However, the good news is that experts say that the structure of Cruz's surgically repaired ankle remains good, even though a return in 2023 remains up in the air, according to Stumpf.

The Pirates started the season on a hot streak, and Cruz was a part of that. He is expected to be part of the team's future as they hope to contend in the near future. Ke'Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and other young players are expected to be core players as well.

Although the Pirates did fall off over the course of the season, the early season success could be a glimpse into the future as the team hopes to contend. It will be interesting to see whether or not the young players that the Pirates are investing in are able to help the team become competitive.