Extra Bases: Cruz benched by Kelly due to 'energy and effort'
Don Kelly said Oneil Cruz was removed in the eighth inning of the Pirates' 9-3 loss to the Brewers tonight at American Family Field due to the “energy and effort” he displayed going down the line on the double play he hit into in the seventh inning.
"We talked, but he knows the expectation," Kelly said. "Right there, I feel like we fell a little short."
Kelly was asked if he expects Cruz to be back in the lineup for tomorrow's series finale and said there will be a discussion to figure that out.
Cruz took accountability for his actions after the game and said he let up running down to first base because he thought there were two outs in the inning:
"DK had all the rights to do what he did, and I'll back him up on that," Cruz said via interpreter and major-league coach Stephen Morales. "It was my fault."
This is the second time in the last week that Cruz has addressed a lack of effort shown on a play. In the Pirates' 6-2 loss to the Rangers on Friday night, Cruz committed a costly error in the first inning, allowing a linedrive to get by him and trickle toward the warning track in center field. Instead of hustling back to get the ball, Cruz stood still and waited for Adam Frazier to run it down.
After the game, Cruz said Kelly pulled him aside and was straight to the point about the lack of effort. He added that, at the same time, Kelly gave him the courage to continue the game. This time around, Kelly had to send a message, one that Cruz said he understood.
"I accepted it really well, just because we have two guys here, (Andrew) McCutchen and TommyPham, who are really good examples," Cruz said. "They always run hard. They always go out there and give 100%. This is a teaching point for me, and I accept the way DK came to me and explained and presented it to me."
If the lack of effort wasn't enough, Cruz isn't exactly lighting the world on fire at the plate as of late. He's hitting just .156 with a .479 OPS in 20 games this month and has struck out 31 times in 77 at-bats. That's a 40% strikeout rate in June.
Despite being mired in a lengthy slump that included an 0-for-4 effort in tonight's loss, Cruz isn't feeling frustration during this stretch. He sees this all as being part of the game.
"Every player goes through their ups and downs," he said. "You just have to confront them and be better every day. But I don't see it as frustrations."
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, NickGonzales is one of only four Pirates players since at least 1900 to have a game with at least five hits, followed by a game with either a three-run home run or a grand slam. He joined Frazier (2019), NeilWalker (2012) and BobRobertson (1970).
“He’s having great at-bats and allowing what the pitcher’s throwing him to determine what he’s doing," Kelly said. "He’s squaring the ball up and driving it the other way. He’s gone to the right-center gap for some extra bases and he’s also pulled some home runs. He’s really having great at-bats right now.”
• Andrew Heaney gave up seven earned runs in a second consecutive start and allowed three home runs in a game for the first time since Aug. 24, 2023 when he was with the Rangers.
“I think it was command," Kelly said. "Fastball command wasn’t there and they weren’t chasing the off-speed down in the zone. I think that when fastball command isn’t there and you struggle to get ahead, you’re not going to get as many chases. That’s what it looked like to me, from the side.”
• Michael Darrell-Hicks was promoted from Class AAA Indianapolis earlier in the day and made his Pirates debut tonight, striking out two batters over two scoreless innings. He did throw a wild pitch that allowed a run to score in the fifth inning, but he was ultimately effective in relief of Heaney.
“He did a great job," Kelly said. "Coming in first and second with nobody out and finding a way to get a double play there and get out of that with one run, did a nice job, especially being here for the first time and meeting everybody. He did good.”
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2:51 am - 06.25.2025MilwaukeeExtra Bases: Cruz benched by Kelly due to 'energy and effort'
"We talked, but he knows the expectation," Kelly said. "Right there, I feel like we fell a little short."
Kelly was asked if he expects Cruz to be back in the lineup for tomorrow's series finale and said there will be a discussion to figure that out.
Cruz took accountability for his actions after the game and said he let up running down to first base because he thought there were two outs in the inning:
"DK had all the rights to do what he did, and I'll back him up on that," Cruz said via interpreter and major-league coach Stephen Morales. "It was my fault."
This is the second time in the last week that Cruz has addressed a lack of effort shown on a play. In the Pirates' 6-2 loss to the Rangers on Friday night, Cruz committed a costly error in the first inning, allowing a linedrive to get by him and trickle toward the warning track in center field. Instead of hustling back to get the ball, Cruz stood still and waited for Adam Frazier to run it down.
After the game, Cruz said Kelly pulled him aside and was straight to the point about the lack of effort. He added that, at the same time, Kelly gave him the courage to continue the game. This time around, Kelly had to send a message, one that Cruz said he understood.
"I accepted it really well, just because we have two guys here, (Andrew) McCutchen and Tommy Pham, who are really good examples," Cruz said. "They always run hard. They always go out there and give 100%. This is a teaching point for me, and I accept the way DK came to me and explained and presented it to me."
If the lack of effort wasn't enough, Cruz isn't exactly lighting the world on fire at the plate as of late. He's hitting just .156 with a .479 OPS in 20 games this month and has struck out 31 times in 77 at-bats. That's a 40% strikeout rate in June.
Despite being mired in a lengthy slump that included an 0-for-4 effort in tonight's loss, Cruz isn't feeling frustration during this stretch. He sees this all as being part of the game.
"Every player goes through their ups and downs," he said. "You just have to confront them and be better every day. But I don't see it as frustrations."
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Nick Gonzales is one of only four Pirates players since at least 1900 to have a game with at least five hits, followed by a game with either a three-run home run or a grand slam. He joined Frazier (2019), Neil Walker (2012) and Bob Robertson (1970).
“He’s having great at-bats and allowing what the pitcher’s throwing him to determine what he’s doing," Kelly said. "He’s squaring the ball up and driving it the other way. He’s gone to the right-center gap for some extra bases and he’s also pulled some home runs. He’s really having great at-bats right now.”
• Andrew Heaney gave up seven earned runs in a second consecutive start and allowed three home runs in a game for the first time since Aug. 24, 2023 when he was with the Rangers.
“I think it was command," Kelly said. "Fastball command wasn’t there and they weren’t chasing the off-speed down in the zone. I think that when fastball command isn’t there and you struggle to get ahead, you’re not going to get as many chases. That’s what it looked like to me, from the side.”
• Michael Darrell-Hicks was promoted from Class AAA Indianapolis earlier in the day and made his Pirates debut tonight, striking out two batters over two scoreless innings. He did throw a wild pitch that allowed a run to score in the fifth inning, but he was ultimately effective in relief of Heaney.
“He did a great job," Kelly said. "Coming in first and second with nobody out and finding a way to get a double play there and get out of that with one run, did a nice job, especially being here for the first time and meeting everybody. He did good.”
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