Pirates broadcasters slam Oneil Cruz's defensive effort vs Mets

Pittsburgh Pirates halfway fielder Oneil Cruz has travel nether occurrence for his antiaircraft effort aboriginal successful the play arsenic the squad has dropped 2 of its archetypal 3 games to commencement the 2026 season.

On Sunday, Cruz heard it from Pirates broadcasters Greg Brown and Matt Capps. In a 1-1 crippled against the New York Mets successful the bottommost of the 2nd inning, Cruz caught a alert shot for the 2nd retired of the inning arsenic baserunner Brett Baty considered tagging up to caput to second.

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Pittsburgh Pirates halfway fielder Oneil Cruz (15) catches a popular alert by New York Mets 2nd baseman Marcus Semien (not pictured) during the 2nd inning astatine Citi Field connected March 29, 2026. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

Capps and Brown were not thrilled with Cruz’s effort.

"You bash privation to spot a small much enthusiasm to get the shot in," Capps said.

"A small lackadaisical connected Cruz’s part," Brown added.

Cruz finished the crippled 1-for-4 with a tally scored arsenic the Pirates defeated the Mets 4-3 successful 10 innings. But done 3 games, Cruz has already been a root of consternation for Pirates fans.

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Pittsburgh Pirates outfielders Oneil Cruz, left, Jake Mangum, center, and Billy Cook observe aft a shot crippled against the New York Mets, Sunday, March 29, 2026, successful New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

He made a atrocious antiaircraft play successful the archetypal crippled of the play with Paul Skenes connected the mound. Skenes was dealing with the bases loaded successful the bottommost of the archetypal inning connected Thursday erstwhile Baty deed a shot implicit Cruz’s head.

Cruz started to determination guardant earlier helium realized the shot was going to sail implicit his head. It allowed much runs connected the committee and Skenes failed to marque it done the first.

He was benched for the 2nd crippled of the play and lone utilized successful a pinch-hit role.

"Just the prima was close successful beforehand of my face," helium told reporters astir the Opening Day mistake, via SNY. "You don’t privation those things to happen, but it was truly uncomfortable contiguous to person the prima close successful beforehand of my face. I tried my best, but it was kinda tough."

Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz (15) runs to archetypal for a azygous during the archetypal inning of an opening-day shot crippled against the New York Mets, Thursday, March 26, 2026, successful New York.  (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

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