Early jitters: Pittsburgh Pirates CF Oneil Cruz commits consecutive first-inning errors

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz opened 2026 by working from behind in the count to connect on a lead-off bloop single. He eventually scored during the two-run first inning.  

With ace Paul Skenes starting against the New York Mets at Citi Field, things appeared positive for the rebuilding franchise.  

Then, Cruz took his defensive position.   

The good times didn’t last.   

Pirates CF Oneil Cruz fizzles in field  

Suggesting during spring training that he worked diligently on his defensive skills during the offseason, Cruz misplayed two fly balls Thursday, fueling the Mets, who scored five times and knocking Skenes out of the showcase start. 

With Skenes struggling with control early, the Mets, who cut their deficit to 2-1, loaded the bases with one out. Brett Baty connected on a fly ball to center, but Cruz elected to take a poor angle, allowing the liner to bounce off the wall and score three runs. His speed couldn’t make up for the difference.  

Cruz’s troubles compounded when next-batter Marcus Semien hit a pop-up to shallow center. In position to record the second out, Cruz apparently lost the ball in the sun – or the wind – or both. He missed the opportunity, allowing Baty to score on an RBI double. Four first-inning runs could be directly attributed to Cruz’s consecutive misplays.  

The former shortstop’s transition may need more time. Cruz started 120 games in center last season and registered a minus-11 defensive runs saved above average, the league’s second-worst mark, according to FanGraphs.  

Cruz worked with Kevin Kiermaier last winter, aiming to learn from the former four-time Gold Glove award winner. Additional workouts may need to be scheduled.  

Despite amassing 20 home runs and 38 stolen bases last season, Cruz finished with a .200 batting average. A spring-training focus centered on improving his swings against left-handed pitchers. He collected just 11 hits in 108 at-bats against lefties last season.  

For the Pirates to emerge from their prolonged rebuilding project, they need their stars to make the basic plays.  

And their ace to make it out of the first inning.