Pirates need lineup consistency, Oneil Cruz to play everyday during hot stretch

Cruz is hitting .236 this season while leading the league in stolen bases (10) and the Pirates in home runs (five).

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the City of Angels for six games to play the Angels and Dodgers on their first west coast trip.

Pittsburgh’s offense came alive with a season-high 18 hits in a 9-3 victory, one game after being swept 5-4 by the Cleveland Guardians at home.

Leading the offense were Andrew McCutchen and Oneil Cruz, the main offensive catalysts, outside of Bryan Reynolds, who makes this team go.

McCutchen mashed a three-run homer in the fourth inning to give the Bucs a 5-1 lead and breathing room for starter Bailey Falter. He ended the night with two hits.

Cruz led off while Reynolds hit second and McCutchen batted third. The Pirates entered Los Angeles (Anaheim), deploying 23 different lineups in 23 games.

Reynolds spoke on the need for more consistent lineups at PiratesFest and the hope to be more like the Atlanta Braves with set spots for certain hitters to bat.

Cruz has found success in the leadoff spot, including two leadoff home runs in back-to-back games against Washington and Cleveland. Back batting at the top, Cruz delivered two hits and scored a run in the Pirates’ victory.

It’s clear Cruz likes hitting leadoff and has performed well in a limited sample size. The Pirates also need to utilize their most talented offensive player on a more consistent basis.

Through 24 games this season, Cruz has played in 21. That’s one fewer game than Tommy Pham and Adam Frazier. It might be splitting hairs arguing against one game, but for a lineup lacking offensive production, the Pirates can’t afford to let Cruz “get off his feet” for a day like Derek Shelton said over the weekend.

The 26-year-old outfielder is now another year removed from season-ending ankle surgery, leads baseball in stolen bases (10), and has hit one-third of the Pirates’ home runs this season (5).

Even if he’s making a pinch-hit appearance late in a game after starting six or seven games in a row, Cruz needs to be at the plate in big situations. Cruz started in center field on Friday, served as the DH Saturday, and entered as a pinch hitter Sunday against the Guardians.

Tommy Pham made a nice running catch in left field but is hitting .181 despite a three-hit night. Pham grounded into a double play in his second at-bat, and was thrown out at second in the 5th inning before collecting two more knocks.

Pham, Jack Suwinski, or Alexander Canario shouldn’t be taking any time away from Cruz or Reynolds to see if they can become a solid contributor. Suwinski (.128) and Canario (.087) have barely a .200 average combined with seven hits in 62 at-bats. Rotating in left field is a different story, but the Pirates can’t afford to set Reynolds and Cruz sit, especially on the same day.

Derek Shelton deployed a solid lineup with Cruz, Reynolds, McCutchen, Enmanuel Valdez, Joey Bart, and Ke’Bryan Hayes in the top six. The group combined for 10 hits, including three from Reynolds.

Unless Isiah Kiner-Falefa is moved up to the five or six spot to move Valdez down, the Pirates should keep those core players in the same spots on a consistent basis. It worked against the Angels, but won’t work every game, but consistently knowing where each player will hit can help a hitter’s approach and protect them in the order.

Cruz, Reynolds, McCutchen, and Bart are a 1-4 the Pirates can build a foundation on this season for a shaky offense needing consistency and backing up their strong start on the mound in 2025.