Oneil Cruz Is Driving Everyone Insane… and Winning Games

Alex Stumpf digs into the full Oneil Cruz experience after the Pirates’ first road trip of 2026. From frustrating defensive moments and body language concerns to three home runs in two games, Cruz once again looked like one of the most polarizing and impactful players on the roster. Alex breaks down why Cruz can both cost and win games almost by himself, why the Pirates still need this center field experiment to work, and what real growth he’s already showing against left-handed pitching. Plus, thoughts on what Cruz’s ceiling means for the Pirates offense moving forward. Watch, comment, and subscribe for more daily Pirates coverage from OffBeat on North Shore Nine. Tailgate Game Tickets: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Northshore9tailgate0418 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/join Use Promo Code NS9 for 30% off your first order at https://www.gritily.com Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myspreadshop.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m ►BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/northshorenine.bsky.social Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.