'Just going to do my best': Cruz accepts CF move with optimism

PITTSBURGH -- Oneil Cruz was the first player on the field at PNC Park before Tuesday’s 9-5 loss vs. the Cubs. It’s not uncommon for him to get extra fielding reps in, but rather than camp out on the infield dirt like usual, he continued out to center field to shag fly balls.

After playing almost exclusively shortstop throughout his professional career, the Pirates told Cruz on Sunday that he would be moving to center field. When explaining the decision Monday, manager Derek Shelton and general manager Ben Cherington acknowledged Cruz was disappointed when he got the news. Cruz himself admitted that he didn’t have much to say during that meeting.

But when talking about the decision for the first time publicly before going 4-for-4 with a sac fly, a stolen base and two RBIs on Tuesday, Cruz seemed to be in good spirits. He had expressed his clear desire in the past to stay at shortstop, but he was far from surly now that the change was happening.

“Not good news, but not bad at the same time,” Cruz said, via interpreter and coach Stephen Morales. “There are some things that you can’t control as a player and that’s what the organization decided at that moment -- and I’m just going to do my best.”

Cruz had worked hard to try to stay at shortstop, but it was always an uphill climb. Listed at 6-foot-7, Cruz debuted as the tallest shortstop in Major League history, creating challenges from the outset. He also had to battle back from a left ankle fracture that cost him almost all of 2023. The Pirates gave him runway to prove he can play the position in the Majors while also giving him time to work back from the ankle injury, but his 24 errors were the second most in baseball and translated to -3 outs above average (per Statcast).

While there were stretches where Cruz did look good at the position and his elite arm strength played, the overall body of work wasn’t what the Pirates had hoped to see. It still caught Cruz off guard, though.

“[It] never went through my mind that I was going to be moved because I was doing whatever it took for me to be the best at shortstop every day,” Cruz said.

If Cruz had his way, the move would have come in the offseason rather than in-season. Cherington explained Monday that once they had made the decision, they felt it was best to do it now.

“It's clear to us, do it now,” Cherington said. “Let's start this process. We got a few weeks here to actually be with him in person and physically be with him. Let him get some feedback from the game, start the process now and get ahead of it.”

Even if the timing isn’t ideal, Cruz is keeping a positive mindset.

“I see it this way -- I'm gonna be playing in the middle of the diamond, still, in the outfield,” Cruz said. “All I have to do is just erase it in my mind that I was a shortstop and do my best out there as a center fielder.”

Cruz served as the designated hitter in the series opener on Monday, and will again on Tuesday. There’s no timetable yet for when he might play that first game in center field, with Shelton and the coaching staff wanting him to get more familiar with the position first. Cruz only has two Spring Training games in 2021 to fall back on, as far as center field experience. He also played 10 Minor League games in left field in 2022, as well as one Major League inning that season.

“If it were up to me, I would play center field today,” Cruz said. “That's their decision and I would like to start as soon as possible.”

“I love that he said that,” Shelton said, smiling. “It’s good that he said that. [First base and outfield coach] Tarrik [Brock] needs to look at him and check off some boxes and see where he’s at. Just get him a little bit of reps out there before we actually do it.

Cruz has yet to reach out to any peers who have made the jump from shortstop to the outfield, but he plans to reach out to Fernando Tatis Jr., who has blossomed into a Gold and Platinum Glove defender since moving to right field. Cruz wants to follow a similar path.

“Like every player that plays any 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 to become one of the best."