Oneil Cruz, a center fielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates in Atlanta, is more renowned for hitting hard-hitting home runs than for creating a lot of them.
The All-Star Game is held at Truist Park the next evening, and he is the fifth player named as a participant in that event. Ronald Acua Jr. of Atlanta, Byron Buxton of Minnesota, Cal Raleigh of Seattle, and James Wood of Washington are all in the running.
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Prior to Tuesday night’s game against Kansas City, Cruz, 26, had hit 15 home runs. Last season, he hit a career-high 21.
The 6-foot-7 Cruz frequently smacks a home run with force. He launched a home shot into the Allegheny River on May 25 against visiting Milwaukee, setting a new record for home run exit velocity since Statcast started recording in 2015.
On Sunday, he also displayed his arm by nailing J.P. Crawford of Seattle at the plate. According to Statcast, that was the second-hardest ball ever thrown that resulted in an outfield assist.
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