The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Outfielder Bryan De La Cruz from the Miami Marlins right before the close of the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline. Pittsburgh sent Infielder Garret Forrester, their No. 18 prospect, and Pitcher Jun-Seok to Miami for the services of De La Cruz. It was a busy day for the Pittsburgh Pirates as they acquired utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa earlier in the day.
De La Cruz is hitting .245 with 18 home runs and 51 RBI this season. He enters the “Steel City” on a hot steak as he has an RBI in five consecutive games and six of the last seven. Pirates fans hope De La Cruz can keep up his stellar play as he heads north. How will De La Cruz fare with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the final few months of the regular season as the ballclub competes for a playoff spot in a crowded National League?
Bryan De La Cruz Career Summary
Pirates reportedly acquiring OF Bryan De La Cruz from Marlins, per multiple reports including https://t.co/Z3s2EpgF39’s @Feinsand. pic.twitter.com/o5pWw447W9
— MLB (@MLB) July 30, 2024
De La Cruz made his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins in 2021 and has spent the entirety of his career with the team. He had the best season of his career in 2023 and is on pace to beat most of those marks this season if not all. He is a career .258 hitter with 55 home runs and 191 RBI.
How Will De La Cruz Fit In With The Pittsburgh Pirates?
Pittsburgh(54-52) is in third place in the National League Central and two games back of the third and final National League Wild Card spot. De La Cruz will look to provide an instant shot in the arm to a Pittsburgh Pirates offense that has not been good this season. They are 26th in batting average, 24th in home runs, and 23rd in runs scored. The truth is if Pittsburgh wants to make the MLB Playoffs for the first time since 2015 and be a true threat in the National League, their offense needed to improve. De La Cruz will look to provide the help that the offense is desperately in need of.
Pittsburgh’s offense is paced by Left Fielder Bryan Reynolds as he leads the team in all important offensive categories. He is hitting .288 this season with 18 home runs and 61 RBI. The duo of Reynolds and De La Cruz will need to be successful for the Pirates to have success in the home stretch of the 2024 regular season.
Pirates Led By Pitching In 2024
Behind rookie sensation Paul Skenes, the pitching staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been the stronger part of their team this season. They are 11th in ERA, 21st in opposing batting average, and 18th in WHIP. The pitching staff is led by Skenes and Mitch Keller. Keller is eighth in the league with 10 wins this season. He also leads the team in ERA and strikeouts. Skenes would be the league leader in ERA by a wide margin but does not have starts to qualify. He has a spectacular 1.90 ERA and has the NL Rookie of the Year Award seemingly locked up.
Pirates Upcoming Schedule
The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently playing the middle game of their three-game set with the Houston Astros. Pittsburgh begins a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. The Pirates hope that once De La Cruz suits up for the team he could provide them with a jolt as they prepare for a playoff push.
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