Oneil Cruz is off to a hot start with the bat. He hit his fourth home run of the season in the Pirates' 8-2 win over the Orioles on Sunday afternoon at PNC Park.
However, that home run came off Cade Povich in the sixth inning, and was his third this season against left-handed pitchers. In fact, Cruz is now 7 for 10 this season against lefties.
Last season, Cruz slashed .102/.224/.176 with one home run and 8 RBIs in 125 plate appearances against left-handers.
"It feels pretty good. The work I’ve put in during the offseason is showing up here. I feel in a really good spot against lefties right now."
Cruz said he worked hard in the Dominican Republic this offseason, taking feedback from those with which he was working on what he needs to do to be more consistent against left-handed pitchers. Don Kelly attributes Cruz's commitment to staying true to the middle of the field instead of trying to pull everything.
"The one home run, it was an offspeed pitch that he pulled in Cincinnati and the one to right-center that he absolutely killed. Then today, he's staying through the middle of the field not trying to do damage to the pull-side," Kelly explained. "It's staying through the middle of the field and if he catches it out in front and driving it. Early on in spring training you saw it the first couple hits that he had in spring were back-side line drives that were really impressive left on left. I think he's just continued to evolve that approach."
THE ASYLUM
Cruz 'in a good spot' against lefties
Oneil Cruz is off to a hot start with the bat. He hit his fourth home run of the season in the Pirates' 8-2 win over the Orioles on Sunday afternoon at PNC Park.
However, that home run came off Cade Povich in the sixth inning, and was his third this season against left-handed pitchers. In fact, Cruz is now 7 for 10 this season against lefties.
Last season, Cruz slashed .102/.224/.176 with one home run and 8 RBIs in 125 plate appearances against left-handers.
"It feels pretty good. The work I’ve put in during the offseason is showing up here. I feel in a really good spot against lefties right now."
Cruz said he worked hard in the Dominican Republic this offseason, taking feedback from those with which he was working on what he needs to do to be more consistent against left-handed pitchers. Don Kelly attributes Cruz's commitment to staying true to the middle of the field instead of trying to pull everything.
"The one home run, it was an offspeed pitch that he pulled in Cincinnati and the one to right-center that he absolutely killed. Then today, he's staying through the middle of the field not trying to do damage to the pull-side," Kelly explained. "It's staying through the middle of the field and if he catches it out in front and driving it. Early on in spring training you saw it the first couple hits that he had in spring were back-side line drives that were really impressive left on left. I think he's just continued to evolve that approach."
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