Pirates SS Oneil Cruz Launches Another Impressive Home Run

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz was already a Statcast darling prior to Monday. But he added to his list of impressive feats against the New York Mets.

For the second time in the weekend series, Cruz unloaded a home run with an exit velocity of at least 109 MPH. His homer on Monday landed well into the bullpen located in center field of PNC Park.

The bomb was Cruz's 14th of the 2024 season, which is only three shy of his career high from 2022. With half the season remaining, Cruz should be able to set a new career high in homers.

The 25-year-old also had a home run Saturday against the Mets.

Cruz's home run Saturday recorded an exit velocity of 114.4 MPH.

The shortstop has set records in the exit velocity category during his 4-year MLB career. In May, he hit a 121.5-MPH single, which was the hardest-hit ball in the league at that time.

That laser beat Cruz's previous season record, which was another 120-plus MPH hit.

Cruz also holds the Pirates franchise record for the hardest-hit home run in the Statcast era. Cruz recorded a 117.7-MPH home run that landed in the Allegheny River at PNC Park on June 6.

The shortstop also hit a home run with an exit velocity greater than 117 MPH on August 29, 2022.