Important Pirates wrinkle shouldn't have fans too worried about Oneil Cruz absence

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed Oneil Cruz on the injured list with a fracture in his hand. While Cruz is expected to miss 4-6 weeks, something doesn't add up pertaining to the injury itself. Cruz reportedly suffered the injury on Saturday.

Considering the Pirates knew Cruz was getting an MRI, it's smart that they eventually scratched him from the lineup on Tuesday. The better play would've been to give Cruz a regularly-scheduled off day until the results were in, rather than put his health at risk in any way, including going through his regular pregame routine.

The Pirates had to know something was up with Cruz. The miscommunication between the coaching and medical staff — or the blatant disregard for Cruz's health over the weekend — deserves some discussing. Thankfully, Don Kelly made the right choice in the end, but Cruz playing with a fracture in his hand would've been disastrous.

What Oneil Cruz's injury means for the Pirates, and why there's good news on the horizon

In the meantime, the Pirates can expect their fourth and fifth outfielders to receive more playing time without an active Cruz. That means Jake Mangum, who was already on a heater in the Astros series, should start in center field. Behind Mangum is Wednesday night's hero, the relatively unknown Tyler Callihan.

Callihan had two home runs against the Dodgers on Wednesday night, saving the Pirates from losing the first two games of a pivotal series at PNC Park. Pittsburgh has enough problems on their hands, including a beleaguered bullpen that desperately needs another back-end arm. Now you can add an injured Cruz to the list, though a Callihan breakout would help matters.

The bad news is the Pirates still have a game remaining against the Dodgers. The good news is that following this series, the skies clear...somewhat. Pittsburgh welcomes the Marlins into town Friday, when they'll face off against Sandy Alcantara in at least one game. Then, the Buccos head west for series against the Athletics and Rockies. With or without Cruz, a team with a pitching staff like the Pirates and a lineup that ranks sixth in MLB in runs scored per game ought to win those series.

By that Washington series, one would hope the Pirates have a clearer picture on Cruz's health, or perhaps he's started some rehab starts. Three-straight series against teams that missed the postseason in 2025 is exactly what the doctor ordered for Pittsburgh, especially following their prove-it gauntlet against the Astros, Braves and Dodgers.

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