Oneil Cruz Just Hit a 117 MPH Home Run Off the Foul Pole and Baseball Will Never Be the Same

Look, I've been keeping up with every regular season game this year, and I've got to tell you: Oneil Cruz is absolutely unhinged in the best possible way. This guy is a freak. We're talking elite power, elite speed, and a cannon for an arm. The problem? He's also kind of a disaster in center field.

Here's the thing about Cruz that makes him must watch: through just 24 games, he already has 7 home runs and is hitting .283 with a .903 OPS. Last year he finished at .200 with 20 homers. That's not a comparison, that's a transformation. Oh, and he's second in the entire MLB with 10 stolen bases. The guy is playing like an Elly De La Cruz clone right now, except he's manning center field and batting leadoff for Pittsburgh.

The Foul Pole Shot That Broke Physics

So Cruz ripped a home run off the bat at 117 MPH that bounced off the top of the foul pole. Let that sink in. A 420+ foot bomb to right field that's only a home run in 50% of major league ballparks. That's the kind of insane, logic-defying thing this guy does on a regular basis. It's almost like he doesn't play by normal baseball rules.

The Defense Problem (That's Getting Better)

Don't get me wrong, the defense has been rough. Between Cruz in center and Bryan Reynolds in left field for the Pirates, even routine fly balls in the gap aren't guaranteed outs. Cruz kicked off the season with some genuinely rough moments out there. But here's the encouraging part: he's cleaned up his defense significantly since those first couple weeks. The toolbox is there. The mistakes are getting fewer.

Oneil Cruz might be the most fun player to watch in baseball right now. The Pirates are one of the most exciting young teams. And if you're not keeping tabs on what he's doing through 24 games, you're missing out on something special.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.