Oneil Cruz in good spirits as rehab continues; Pirates promote pair of relievers
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Oneil Cruz hasn’t let being unable to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates dampen his spirits.
Cruz, who’s still months away from a prospective return to action, offered a reaction to the bobbleheads the Pirates were handing out Saturday afternoon at PNC Park ahead of the club’s game against St. Louis.
“Yeah, they did it really good,” he said with a laugh, through interpreter Stephen Morales. “Ugly, like me.”
The much-anticipated first full season in the big leagues for Cruz was put on hold not long after it got underway when, on April 9, Cruz collided at home plate with Chicago White Sox catcher Seby Zavala, resulting in a fractured left ankle.
The Pirates, deprived of their 6-foot-7 power-hitting shortstop less than two weeks into the year, have trekked onward in his absence, entering Saturday afternoon with a 29-27 record and a half-game behind Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central.
Cruz was seen back in the Pirates clubhouse at PNC Park in late April a few weeks after surgery, when he was described by the club’s director of sports medicine, Todd Tomczyk, as being in good spirits.
“He’s smiling, he wants to walk by my office and come sit down and now that he’s out of his crutches, it’s a lot easier for him to do it,” manager Derek Shelton said. “He’s been in great spirits. It’s been great to see and fun to have him around.”
The 24-year-old, chatting with members of the media Saturday afternoon, offered some thoughts on his ongoing rehabilitation process.
Oneil Cruz, through interpreter Stephen Morales, chats about his ongoing rehabilitation from a fractured left ankle suffered April 9. Cruz says he expects to be out of his waking boot soon. “I’m feeling better every day, just doing the work I need to do to get better.” pic.twitter.com/DdXHYzeHCP — Justin Guerriero (@GuerrieroTrib) June 3, 2023
“I’m feeling better every day, just doing the work I need to do to get better every day,” he said.
“… You never want to get hurt, obviously, but that’s part of the game and it happens to me. I’m just going to take it the way it is and get better as soon as possible.”
Per Shelton, Cruz has not resumed baseball activities. The next step for him will be removing the boot he’s been sporting on his left foot.
“I think that’s some time in the very near future, so I think that’s a very positive sign and a positive sign that he went from crutches to the boot and then he’ll come out of it,” Shelton said. “Then, we’ll just continue to take the next steps, which is just part of the general rehab.”
Cruz remains on the 60-day injured list.
Before his injury, he played nine games with the Pirates, batting .250 with a home run and four RBIs.
Bullpen reinforcements
After the Pirates traded righty reliever Robert Stephenson to Tampa Bay on Friday, Shelton said the composition of his bullpen following the transaction was in part “TBD.”
It did not take long for things to become illuminated on that front as the Pirates added a pair of arms Saturday afternoon.
Yerry De Los Santos, a 25-year-old right-hander, was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, and lefty Angel Perdomo had his contract selected from the Indians.
De Los Santos, who hangs his hat on a sinker and slider, made his MLB debut with the Pirates last year and went 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA, recording 26 strikeouts and 11 walks in 25 2/3 innings.
This season with the Indians, he is 0-4 with a 5.60 ERA in 17 games.
Perdomo, 29, becomes another lefty at Shelton’s disposal, complementing Jose Hernandez and Rob Zastryzny.
In parts of two seasons with Milwaukee in 2020 and ’21, Perdomo compiled a 1-0 record and 8.24 ERA over 22 games.
He has been more effective in Indianapolis, with a 3.18 ERA with 35 strikeouts and 16 walks through 20 appearances.
“De Los Santos has been throwing the ball better and we know Perdomo’s got swing and miss (stuff), so (this is) an opportunity to get a look at both of them,” Shelton said.
In corresponding transactions, the Pirates optioned reliever Cody Bolton to the Indians and designated infielder Chris Owings for assignment.
Source: TribLIVE
