Why Pirates' Oneil Cruz is planning to ask Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. for tips on move center field
PITTSBURGH — Oneil Cruz is planning to reach out to Fernando Tatis Jr.
They have a lot to talk about.
Cruz said Tuesday he was disappointed when he was told by the Pittsburgh Pirates he was moving from shortstop to center field. He thought he had done enough this season to stay in the infield.
But the 6-foot-7 Cruz is hoping for a transition like the one for San Diego’s Tatis, another Dominican Republic native and former shortstop who is now considered one of the best right fielders in the majors.
“Not good news, but not bad, at the same time,” Cruz said Tuesday through a translator. “There’s some things that you can’t control as a player, and that’s what the organization decided in that moment. I’m just going to do my best.
“I haven’t reached out to anybody yet. On my list is Fernando Tatis, for sure. He’s the closest to me. At some point, I will give him a call just to ask for advice and see how his process was.”
Tatis was an All-Star shortstop in 2021, but he injured his left shoulder twice that season and then broke his left wrist in a motorcycle accident that December. Both injuries ultimately required surgery. He also was hit with an 80-game PED suspension in August 2022.
Tatis won a Gold Glove last year, and Cruz aims to be equally successful in center.
“Every player that plays every position, you want to be the best at your position,” Cruz said. “If that’s the move, I’m going to try to do my best every day, become one of the best.
“I’ll say it this way, I’m going to be playing in the middle of the diamond, still, in the outfield. All I have to do is erase it from my mind that I was a shortstop and do my best out there as a center fielder.”
Cruz had 24 errors in 112 games at shortstop this season, second-most in the majors behind Cincinnati Reds infielder Elly De La Cruz (26). In six games from July 27-Aug. 2, Cruz committed seven errors, including three in a 5-4 loss to Houston on July 31.
The 25-year-old Cruz has three in 17 games since Aug. 3, not enough of a decrease to avoid the move to center.
Still, the final product could take time. Cruz will be the designated hitter for a second straight day Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs.
Before batting practice, Cruz slowly walked to center before shagging a few balls.
“I watched it. It went well,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “He did a good job. He’s a really good athlete. Balls off machines, doing reads, doing breaks, he looked very natural.
“There are going to be bumps in the road and we understand that. There are going to be plays that are challenging for all outfielders. The initial watching him — breaks, reads, drop step — he was very good.”
There is no set date for Cruz’s outfield debut.
“If you leave it up to me, I would play center field today because that’s what their decision (is) and I would like to start as soon as possible,” Cruz said.
Exactly what Shelton hoped Cruz would say.
“I love that he said that. It’s good that he said that,” Shelton said. “Just get him a little bit of reps out there before we actually do it.”
Shelton said he has already noticed a difference with Cruz when it comes to his acceptance of the change.
“There is a different smile on his face today,” Shelton said. “Did it take a day? Yeah, probably. I think we expected that.”
