Fresh off a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies, the Pittsburgh Pirates may soon be getting a boost to their lineup ahead of their upcoming series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Speaking to the media Sunday at PNC Park, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that he expects Oneil Cruz to join the team for their division rivalry series against the Cardinals beginning Monday at Busch Stadium.
"Barring something unforeseen, I suspect he'll fly to St. Louis tomorrow and just check in on him there," Cherington said. "Our hope is that he's very close."
Cruz has not appeared in a game for Pittsburgh since Aug. 12, when he collided with teammate Jack Suwinski in the outfield. He was transferred to the concussion injured list the following day and received the necessary clearance from both MLB and the Players Association to begin a rehab assignment Saturday at Double-A Altoona.
In a pair of rehab appearances, Cruz went 1-for-6 with a triple, two walks and three RBI. On the season, he is slashing .207/.304/.398 with 17 doubles, two triples, a team-high 18 home runs, 51 RBI, 54 walks and 34 stolen bases on 38 attempts.
Pirates News: Former Pittsburgh infielder Kevin Newman signs with Tigers
Former Pirates shortstop Kevin Newman, who was released by the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 2 after slashing .202/.209/.272 in 116 plate appearances, signed a minor-league contract with the Detroit Tigers over the weekend. He has been assigned to Triple-A Toledo, where he will serve as non-roster depth for the Tigers.
The Pirates selected Newman at No. 19 overall in the 2015 MLB Draft, and he made his Major League debut with Pittsburgh three years later. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 for right-handed pitcher Dauri Moreta, who is still with the franchise. Newman finished his time in Pittsburgh with a 3.3 WAR and a .260/.303/.357 slash line over 431 games through five seasons.
Ironically, the Tigers signed Newman to pick up some of the shortstop duties at Triple-A that were once shared by utility man Ryan Kreidler, whom they placed on waivers – and who has since been claimed by Pittsburgh and optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Pirates News: Top prospect Edward Florentino placed on injured list
The Pirates' Single-A affiliate in Bradenton placed outfielder Edward Florentino on the 7-day injured list on Friday, according to his transactions log.
Florentino, the Pirates' No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, the left early during Thursday's game against Daytona, but the organization has not disclosed the nature of his injury. The 18-year-old has slashed .272/.393/.528 with 10 home runs through 50 games at Bradenton this season after earning a June promotion from the Florida Complex League Pirates, where he slashed .347/.442/.642 with six homers through 29 games.
The Pirates signed Florentino out of the Dominican Republic for $395,000 on Jan. 15, 2024. He spent the 2024 season with the Dominican Summer League (DSL) Pirates Gold team, where he earned DSL Mid-Season All-Star honors before beginning his rapid ascent through Pittsburgh's farm system.
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