I’ll admit, I don’t pray at the Church of Exit Velocity. But on Tuesday night, Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz pretty much made me a convert.
After Cruz became the first player in the Statcast era to produce three 115+ mph and two 120+ mph batted balls in the same game, I reached out to Pirates hitting coach Andy Haines to see if he was as awestruck as I was.
“Nothing really surprises me at this point with him, to be honest,” said Haines, who assumed his current role in 2021, shortly after Cruz made his major-league debut. “He is the definition of why you buy a ticket to watch a major-league game.”
Here is the craziest thing about Cruz’s jaw-dropping performance: He hit the ball so hard, he wound up with a single instead of a possible double in the first inning and Pirates teammate Bryan Reynolds could not score on his potential go-ahead hit in the ninth.
Cruz’s double into the right-field corner tied the score, but Reynolds was unable to race home from first because the Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski fielded the 121.5-mph shot much more quickly than he would have picked up a normal roller. Cruz’s missile was the hardest-hit ball all season, beating, ahem, his 120.4-mph single in the first – and it came off a 100.3-mph cutter from Giants closer Camilo Doval, no less. The Pirates wound up winning in 10 innings, 7-6.
So, what’s not to like about all this? The Statcast Era, which began in 2015, enables us to appreciate players in ways we never could before. Just last week, the league introduced new bat-tracking data to measure, among other things, bat speed and swing length. The information is fascinating. It keeps getting better. The problem is, it does not always provide a complete portrait of a hitter.
Cruz, even after his three-hit night, is batting a mere .260 with a .744 OPS – above league average, but not among the league leaders. If hitting the ball hard was the most important measure of offensive performance, then Giancarlo Stanton would not just be King of Statcast, but also King of New York. Instead, he is a frequent target of frustration among Yankees fans.
Cruz, 25, is nine years younger than Stanton, still full of promise. His exit velocities help enhance our understanding of his ability, and provide a window into his vast potential. The joyous, wondrous reaction on X to his record-breaking numbers Tuesday night would not have been the same in the pre-Statcast era, when accurate measures were unavailable.
Hardest-hit batted balls under Statcast (2015):
8/24/22 Oneil Cruz: 122.4 mph
8/9/21 Giancarlo Stanton: 122.2 mph
10/1/17 Giancarlo Stanton: 122.2 mph
8/9/18 Giancarlo Stanton: 121.7 mph
Tuesday Oneil Cruz: 121.5 mph— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 22, 2024
“It’s a generational-type talent, and really in all facets of the game he can wow you,” Haines said. “The major-league game has presented challenges for him for sure, as it does all young players, but it’s been fascinating to see him respond to those and continue to grow.
“It really is unique and special to watch in person. Tonight was a glimpse of how special of a player he can be in our game.”
(Top photo of Oneil Cruz: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
Ken Rosenthal is the senior baseball writer for The Athletic who has spent nearly 35 years covering the major leagues. In addition, Ken is a broadcaster and regular contributor to Fox Sports’ MLB telecasts. He’s also won Emmy Awards in 2015 and 2016 for his TV reporting. Follow Ken on Twitter @Ken_Rosenthal
