Oneil Cruz just matched Barry Bonds in Pirates history and fans don't know what to think

The Pittsburgh Pirates have seen their share of larger-than-life talents over the years, from Roberto Clemente to Andrew McCutchen to Barry Bonds. But rarely has a player combined jaw-dropping athleticism with such polarizing results quite like Oneil Cruz. Standing at 6-foot-7, the Pirates’ star center fielder has long been a “must-watch” talent, capable of doing things on the field that leave fans in awe. And now, in 2025, he’s found himself in a club that only Bonds himself has ever entered in franchise history.

Cruz just became the second player in Pirates history to hit at least 20 home runs while stealing 35 or more bases in a single season, a statistical quirk that underscores both his raw power and elite speed. When you hear those numbers, it sounds like the profile of a perennial MVP candidate. And yet, for Pirates fans, it’s not that simple. There’s admiration for what he can do — and frustration with what he can’t seem to fix. It’s that contradiction that makes Cruz one of the most fascinating, and confounding, players in baseball right now.

Oneil Cruz joins Barry Bonds in rare Pirates history with jaw-dropping feat

The milestone is historic, but it’s also a reminder of Cruz’s maddeningly inconsistent bat. His .203/.302/.384 slash line paints the picture of a hitter who hasn’t quite figured it out at the plate. His strikeout rate of 31.7 percent is buried in the bottom three percent of all MLB hitters. For every highlight-reel home run or jaw-dropping stolen base, there’s a stretch where he looks completely lost against big-league pitching. That volatility has fans split — some see superstardom, others see wasted potential.

And yet, even with the flaws, Cruz is the kind of player who alters games on both sides of the ball. His hard-hit rate is among the best in the sport, his throws from the outfield reach “Statcast-breaking” velocity, and his speed makes him a constant threat to create chaos once he’s on base. In a Pirates lineup that often struggles for consistency, Cruz provides both excitement and unpredictability. He may frustrate, but he also gives fans a reason to tune in on any given night.

For Pittsburgh, the question is no longer whether Cruz is special — it’s whether he can refine the raw talent into something more sustainable. If he can cut down on strikeouts and make more consistent contact, he has every tool to become one of baseball’s elite all-around weapons. Until then, he’ll remain a paradox: a player who just joined Barry Bonds in the record books while still leaving fans scratching their heads. In other words, Oneil Cruz might be the most Pirates player imaginable.