Perrotto: Future Suddenly Cloudy for Oneil Cruz, Pirates (+)

PITTSBURGH – The look on Oneil Cruz’s face said it all.

The Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop, with his 6-foot-7 frame squeezed onto the bed of a small flatbed cart, was crestfallen. He had a faraway look in his eyes as the cart traversed the tunnelway on the bottom floor of PNC Park on Sunday afternoon.

Cruz was being transported out of the stadium to undergo further X-rays and testing at a local hospital. However, the 24-year-old already knew he had a broken left ankle, and his 2023 season was over.

Cruz was injured when he slid into home plate awkwardly while trying to score from third base on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ infield chopper in the sixth inning of the Pirates’ 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox.

It was immediately clear Cruz had been injured significantly and the official word came not long after the game ended.