Oneil Cruz said he was losing his confidence at the plate.
The comment was made to reporters, including Alex Stumpf of MLB.com, following the game on April 21st. Cruz was batting .209/.261/.326 with a 40.2% strikeout rate at the time. Since those comments, Cruz has performed much better, with a .346/.393/.423 line and a 25% strikeout rate over the last week.
The Pirates are relying on Cruz to be an impact hitter. He’s got one of the loudest bats in the system, with effortless power from a 6′ 7″ frame, and the ability to adjust and get to balls that most can’t reach — laying an extended power swing on those pitches.