Pirates add Oneil Cruz to roster as Cruz recovers from hand fractures

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced the activation of center fielder Oneil Cruz from the injured list, yet he was omitted from the starting lineup for Monday’s contest against the Detroit Tigers and left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez. Cruz’s last appearance was as a pinch runner on June 7, following a slide that caused two hand fractures on June 6. Prior to the injury, he posted a.264/.350/.472 slash line over 64 games, a marked improvement over his previous season.

His six minor-league rehab outings yielded a.136 average with seven strikeouts in 22 at-bats. While Cruz recovers, Jake Mangum has continued to contribute with a.300 average, whereas Billy Cook has struggled, hitting.188. Concurrently, utility man Ronny Simon was sent to Triple-A after appearing in nine games for Pittsburgh.