The Pittsburgh Pirates might be stuck in a rough patch, limping along with a 19-35 record that’s only better than the Colorado Rockies’ dismal 9-44 in the National League. But even in a season that’s been more grind than glory, they’ve got a couple of gems who keep fans coming back to PNC Park. Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, is one half of the equation, dealing heat from the mound. The other? Center fielder Oneil Cruz, who just reminded everyone why he’s one of baseball’s most electrifying talents with a jaw-dropping feat in Sunday’s 6-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. For more on Cruz’s 2025 stats, check the sports card above.
In the third inning, with the Pirates trailing 3-0, Cruz stepped up against Brewers starter Logan Henderson and did something that’ll be replayed on highlight reels for years. He got a 92.2 mph fastball and absolutely obliterated it, sending a solo home run screaming over the right-field stands and out of PNC Park entirely. The exit velocity? A blistering 122.9 mph, the hardest-hit ball in the Statcast era since tracking began in 2015, per ESPN and MLB.com. This wasn’t just a lucky swing off a rocket pitch—Cruz generated every ounce of that power, turning a routine fastball into a history-making missile that traveled 432 feet and cut Milwaukee’s lead to 3-1.
Cruz’s blast wasn’t just a one-off. The guy’s been rewriting the Statcast record books for a while. Back on August 24, 2022, he owned the previous hardest-hit ball with a 122.4 mph single off the right-field wall against the Braves. Sunday’s homer topped that, and it also outdid Giancarlo Stanton’s 121.7 mph home run from 2018, which had held the crown for the hardest-hit dinger until now. X posts lit up with fans losing their minds, one calling it “a laser beam that left earth,” while another marveled, “Cruz is hitting balls harder than most guys throw.”
It was a bittersweet day for Cruz, who went 1-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts in the loss. Still, his 2025 season is a bright spot for a struggling Pirates squad. He’s slashing .236/.362/.491 with 11 homers—nearly double the next closest Pirate, Bryan Reynolds, with six—and 18 stolen bases, showing off his rare blend of power and speed. This is his first full year in center field after playing shortstop his first two seasons, and while the transition’s had its hiccups, his athleticism and rocket arm make him a game-changer in the outfield.
What makes Cruz’s feat even wilder is the context. On the same day, across the state in Detroit, Tigers ace Tarik Skubal threw a 102.6 mph fastball in the ninth inning of a complete-game shutout, the fastest pitch by a starter in the ninth since 2008. Cruz and Skubal stealing the Statcast spotlight on the same Sunday? That’s baseball poetry. For the Pirates, though, it’s a reminder of what could be. With Cruz and Skenes as cornerstones, Pittsburgh’s got the kind of talent that can turn a 19-35 season into a distant memory. For now, fans are holding onto moments like Cruz’s 122.9 mph moonshot—a swing that proves even in a tough year, this team’s got some serious pop.
