In a game that felt like a never-ending series of disappointments for the Pittsburgh Pirates, one moment of great athletic genius cut through the gloom. Their star player, Paul Skenes, was outstanding against the Seattle Mariners. He dominated the opposing team’s lineup, striking out ten batters over five scoreless innings. But their offensive unit fell flat, AGAIN! The team saw another sweep in a very frustrating 1-0 loss. But a single defensive play gave fans a positive memory to take home.
That unforgettable moment took place in the first inning. Seattle’s J.P. Crawford stood on second base when Jorge Polanco hit a single. As Crawford charged home plate and went to score, Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz broke in to get to the ball. He fielded it and unleashed a cannon toward home plate.
The throw was perfect, a one-hopper that arrived at an amazing 105.2 mph speed. At the plate, Catcher Henry Davis tagged up the surprised Crawford out. In the meantime, on the mound, Skenes, who had the best view in the stadium, points to his center fielder and gives a clear thumbs up to that incredible play that saved a run.
The astonishing throw became viral almost immediately. The official Instagram account of Major League Baseball posted angles of the play, showing the stunning throw even in slo-mo for fans to enjoy it time and again. The caption rightfully read, “What a throw by Oneil Cruz .” And his teammates and coaches could not contain their excitement after the game.
Post-game, Paul Skenes exclaimed, “Yeah, I had the best seat in the house. That was unbelievable.” He further added, “Henry played it perfectly, too. It feels lucky, but I know Henry and Oneil created luck for me there.”
Pirates interim manager Don Kelly was equally blown away. “105? I didn’t even realize,” Kelly admitted. “Honestly, one of the best plays that I’ve seen live… just an amazing play.” The clip shows how unreal the play was!
A cannon arm for the history books
It was hard to overlook the eye test because it was backed up by hard data. Statcast officially recorded Cruz’s throw at a jaw-dropping 105.2 mph. This engraved him as the fastest fielder throw in MLB for the season. This achievement puts the 6-foot-7 phenom in really special company.
It now stands as the second-hardest outfield assist to be recorded since Statcast started tracking in 2015. The only faster one was Aaron Hicks’s 2016 105.5 throw. Plus, Cruz’s throw became the fastest of any kind by a Pirates outfielder in the Statcast era.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Oneil Cruz breaking records in Statcast. In 2022, while playing shortstop, he set the mark for the fastest in-field assist at 97.8 mph. Also, he is the all-time leader in the hardest-hit ball tracked by the system. It was a 122.9 mph home run he hit into the Allegheny River.
Those who work with Cruz every day are constantly impressed. Skenes firmly believes in his teammate’s defensive future. “I would not be surprised if he’s well known as the best center fielder in the game in a year or two.”
Cruz’s 2025 season has been a seesaw of great success and great struggle.
Offensively, he leads the Pirates in home runs (15) and stolen bases (28). Also, he puts up an elite hard-hit rate of 56.7%, showing great power. At the same time, though, he has issues with consistency, which sees him post a .208 average with a high 33% strikeout rate. Defensively, his move to center field is still finding its feet. Even with a cannon arm, he leads all MLB outfielders in errors with seven.
This, in turn, presents the big picture for the struggling franchise. The Pirates sit at the bottom of the NL Central with a 38-53 record. They have what is perhaps one of the best pitching staffs in the league, ranking 7th with a 3.64 team ERA. But their offense ranks last in home runs. That has brought in intense trade speculation regarding their talented center fielder.
Cruz is under contract for three more seasons – very much an asset. As per reports, only Skenes and Andrew McCutchen are untouchable. So, a trade could see the Pirates acquire a large pile of prospects to speed up their rebuild.
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