Paul Skenes, recently named to the National League All-Star team for a second year in a row, is especially excited about witnessing his teammate, Oneil Cruz, at the Oneil Cruz Home Run Derby. The event, set to take place at Truist Park in Atlanta during the upcoming All-Star festivities, has Skenes enthusiastic not just about his pitching role but more about watching Cruz’s powerful batting display.
During an interview on MLB Network Radio, Skenes described Cruz’s batting practice as
“the most impressive batting practice I’ve ever seen in my life,”
expressing his anticipation after Cruz was confirmed as the fifth player in the derby lineup. Speaking with Hannah Mears of SportsNet Pittsburgh, Skenes shared,
“I’m excited for him. Selfishly, I’m excited to, you know, get to watch him hit [batting practice], where the only thing that he’s trying to do is hit the ball over the fence and get to watch it from the field. It’s gonna be pretty cool.”
Reflecting on Pirates players in past Home Run Derbies
Oneil Cruz carries the distinction of being the first Pittsburgh Pirates representative in the Home Run Derby since Josh Bell’s appearance in 2019. Previous Pirates participants include notable names such as Pedro Álvarez in 2013, Andrew McCutchen in 2012, Jason Bay in 2005, Barry Bonds in 1992, and Bobby Bonilla in 1990. Despite this legacy, no Pirates player has ever won the derby, placing Cruz in the spotlight as a potential game-changer.
Skenes expressed strong confidence in Cruz’s ability to make history:
“I don’t know what the normal threshold is for winning the Home Run Derby, how many you typically have to hit, but I think he’s going to do it pretty easily. I mean, he mis-hits balls all the time that go out, and watching him do it in Atlanta is going to be cool. He’s going to hit some balls over the Chop House and all that, so I’m fired up.”
Oneil Cruz’s exceptional power at the plate
Cruz’s reputation as one of baseball’s most powerful hitters is supported by impressive statistics. He holds the record for the hardest hit home run in the Statcast era, achieving a 122.9 mph blast on May 25. Six of the ten MLB home runs that have traveled over 110 mph this season were hit by Cruz, who has accounted for 11 of the 19 hardest-hit balls since debuting in 2022, as reported by Alex Stumpf of MLB.com.
Among his spectacular hits, Cruz’s longest home run came on July 27, 2024, when he struck a 472-foot blast off Brandon Pfaadt of the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Skenes is confident Cruz will exceed that distance during the derby, predicting a home run surpassing 500 feet. Fans are poised to witness some of the most powerful swings live on the sport’s biggest stage Monday night.
Building fan excitement for a historic derby performance
With Paul Skenes aboard as both a teammate and enthusiastic supporter, Oneil Cruz enters the Home Run Derby with a high level of anticipation surrounding his performance. Given Cruz’s unmatched power-hitting ability and Skenes’s optimistic projections, Pittsburgh Pirates fans may experience a level of excitement unlike any before, as Cruz competes to possibly become the franchise’s first Ever Home Run Derby champion.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What surgery did Oneil Cruz have?
A. Greg Altman and Dr. Darren Frank took care of Cruz’s broken fibula on the left side and fixed a problem with the syndesmosis. This is a tough joint near the ankle held together by ligaments. Manager Derek Shelton felt somewhat relieved that the injury was only around the ankle and didn’t affect other parts of the left leg.
Q. What was Oneil Cruz’s injury?
A. Oneil Cruz has had a season with minimal play, and now he’s officially on the injured list for the first time. The MLB.com’s 91st ranked prospect broke his right foot while playing for Class A Advanced Bradenton on Saturday night.