The Pittsburgh Pirates have lost an integral member of the team to the injured list. Center fielder Oneil Cruz will miss more than a week of action while he recovers.
According to the team’s website, Cruz suffered fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures in his left hand. As a result, he has landed on the 10-day injured list. The Pirates made that move retroactive to Monday, making him eligible to return around June 18.
Cruz, who led MLB with 38 stolen bases last year he injured his hand during last weekend’s 3-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves. He slid into home plate after Tyler Callihan’s RBI double in the fourth inning.
Cruz missed the 2-3 loss to the Braves the following day, but he appeared ready to return on Tuesday. The Pirates ultimately took him out of the lineup.
“What he’s shown this year growth-wise on the field, development-wise, and then for him to battle through some things that he’s battled through this year … it stinks,” manager Don Kelly said.
The manager added that the fractures initially did not show up on the X-rays, so Cruz underwent an MRI that revealed the full extent of the damage.
As a result of the move, called the pirates outfielder Billy Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis.
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The loss of Cruz comes as Polymarket traders look at the future of the Pirates and the team’s chances of making the playoffs. This is a pressing issue considering the Pirates are currently third in the National League Central with a 35-33 record.
The Milwaukee Brewers lead the NL Central with a 41-25 record. St. Louis Cardinals are second with a 37-28 record. The only teams behind the Pirates in the division are the Chicago Cubs (34-34) and the Cincinnati Reds (32-35).
According to the Polymarket tradersthe Pirates have a 42% chance of making the postseason. This places the Pennsylvania-based team far down in the standings.
In comparison, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a 99% chance of making the playoffs, while the New York Yankees have a 94% chance. The Atlanta Braves have a 93% chance, while the Milwaukee Brewers have an 88% chance.
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The Pirates will try to overcome the loss of Cruz and make a push toward the playoffs with the final game of a series against the Dodgers. Each team has won once in this three-game series, so Thursday night’s winner will go 2-1.
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