The Pittsburgh Pirates are getting one of their biggest power hitting threats back for the stretch run.
Outfielder Oneil Cruz has been activated from the 60-day injured list on Monday, Aug. 17 after he was seen with the team at PNC Park over the weekend, according to team reporter Jason Mackey. He has not played since June 6 because of fractures in his left hand.
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GM Ben Cherington was cautious about expectations for the outfielder Sunday.
“It’s possible, for any player who had [left hand fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures], it might not feel 100% even until the offseason,” Cherington told reporters.
“It’s really a matter of listening to Oneil about where he is. You can imagine, for Oneil specifically, the amount of trauma that he creates with how fast he swings the bat and what happens at contact.”
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Cruz has 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 64 games so far in 2026. His .822 OPS was on track to be a career best over a full season before his injury. In the corresponding roster move, infielder Ronny Simon was optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis.
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In another noteworthy roster move, relief pitcher Yohan Ramirez had be reinstated from the paternity list while Hunter Barco was optioned back to the minors. He’s been one of the team’s few reliable relievers in 2026. He’s allowed just three earned runs in 23 appearances since the start of June.
Cruz’s return will be a big boost to a lineup that has been decimated by injuries. Shortstop Konnor Griffin has been out since early July with a finger injury, and first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn has been out since the start of August with a quad strain. Those two have 22 homers between them.
The Pirates remain on the periphery of the National League wild-card race. They enter action Monday, Aug. 17 at 6.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, who are tied for the final two playoff spots.
The Pirates broke a long string of series losses over the weekend by taking two out of three from the Boston Red Sox at home. They’ll welcome the Detroit Tigers to town for a three-game set starting Monday evening at PNC Park.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pirates’ lineup gets a boost with Oneil Cruz set to return vs. Tigers
