Oneil Cruz DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz swiped two bags during their loss to the San Diego Padres on Friday evening. Cruz also scored two runs and drew two walks. Through the first month of the campaign, the 26-year-old has flashed elite five-category upside. Through his first 30 contests, Cruz has held a .245/.364/.519 slash line with eight home runs and 14 stolen bases. Under the hood, he has generated an elite .422 xwOBA with a .580 xSLG, which places him in the 96th and 94th percentile, respectively. In addition, Cruz has shown a strong eye at the plate, drawing walks at a 15.5 percent rate and showing high speed upside, placing in the 88th percentile in sprint speed. Given his ability to hit for power and make an impact on the basepaths, he remains a must-start option in all standard formats.

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop/outfielder Oneil Cruz had both a home run and a stolen base in the Pirates' 3-0 win over the Angels on Wednesday night. His stolen base came in the third inning, and his home run was a solo shot off Jack Kochanowicz in the fifth inning. Cruz is up to six home runs and 11 stolen bases on the season and is hitting .247 with a .370 wOBA. He has always been a Statcast darling, and he has continued that trend with a 55.6% hard-hit rate and an 18.55 barrel rate. Cruz has looked very comfortable in the leadoff spot for the Pirates and should continue to be an elite fantasy producer with plenty of upside as long as he can stay healthy, especially in home runs and steals. He was part of the 20-20 club last year with 21 homers and 22 stolen bases, but he is on base to finish much better in both categories in 2025.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz is not in Sunday's lineup when they conclude a series against the Cleveland Guardians. Cruz has been in the starting nine in each of the previous seven contests and will get a much-needed day off. During this stretch, the 26-year-old has posted a .269/.367/.654 slash line with one double, three home runs, and three stolen bases. Through 19 games this season, Cruz has held a .234/.363/.500 slash line with five long balls and 10 stolen bases. Under the hood, he has generated an elite 20.5 percent barrel rate and a 54.5 percent hard-hit rate, which are both well above the average marks, which suggests his power production should continue to climb during the summer. Fantasy managers should expect Cruz to return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Angels. This afternoon, Alexander Canario will cover center field and bat in the five-hole.