Looking for a leadoff: Pirates searching to replace Oneil Cruz at top of the batting order

When Oneil Cruz fractured his left ankle on Easter, the Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t just lose their starting shortstop but a leadoff hitter who proved he could get on base, hit for power and whose speed made him a threat on the basepaths.

Cruz slashed .282/.331/.541 with 18 extra-base hits and 23 RBIs in 32 games batting leadoff last season and had a .361 on-base percentage — drawing as many walks (seven) as strikeouts — with a double, a home run, three RBIs, three stolen bases and seven runs scored in eight games batting first this season.

His absence has had a domino effect on the Pirates, who averaged five runs a game with Cruz hitting leadoff but only 2.8 runs since and were shut out twice in losing three of their first five without him.

“What we’ve talked about with our group is just continue to do what you’re doing and grind through at-bats,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said before Tuesday’s game against the Houston Astros. “We took one player out of our lineup, obviously, a really good player, but it’s very important that the rest of our group continues to do what they’ve done throughout the first 10 days and we’ll adjust off that.”

Shelton hasn’t changed his fluid philosophy toward the leadoff spot, as it was based primarily on matchups through the first nine games. Where third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes batted first against left-handed pitchers, Ji Hwan Bae has replaced Cruz when facing righties. Shelton also factors in variables such as how the Pirates plan to attack the starting pitcher versus the bullpen and whether he plans to use a pinch hitter.

There is, however, one trait Shelton seeks in his leadoff hitter.

“Being able to impact the game, I think, is important — regardless of how you impact it,” Shelton said. “We knew Oneil could impact the game in multiple ways: by hitting it out of the ballpark or with his legs. Something like that would be important. After that or maybe equal to that is what the matchup is. What’s the matchup for the rest of your lineup going to look like? How does it flow?”

The way managers view the leadoff spot has evolved with baseball embracing metrics over tradition, with Shelton using Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber as an example. Schwarber batted first in the order in 123 games last season, hitting 38 homers with 77 RBIs. New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge hit 13 of his American League-record 62 home runs while batting leadoff in 34 games last season.

“The way it’s changed, is we had a 6-7 shortstop hit there,” Shelton said, referring to Cruz. “So I think the notion of we’re getting the guy that’s really fast and takes a ton of pitches and does that, I think that notion has gone by the wayside. What we’re seeing is teams are playing to what the best matchup is moving forward.”

The change at the leadoff spot has adversely affected outfielder Bryan Reynolds, who was named MLB Player of the Week on Monday after slashing .405/.415/.919 with two doubles, a triple, five homers and 14 RBIs through the Pirates’ first nine games. Entering Saturday, Reynolds hit .177 (3 for 17) in the five games since Cruz underwent surgery.

Reynolds understands the importance of the leadoff hitter, given that he bats second in the Pirates’ lineup. While waiting in the on-deck circle, he can study the starter’s repertoire to see what pitches are working and which are susceptible to hits or drawing a walk. If the leadoff hitter swings at the first pitch and gets out, Reynolds generally takes one.

“You can feed off him,” Reynolds said. “If they’re having long at-bats, seeing a lot of pitches, you can tell from on deck what the pitches are doing. Or if they’re able to work a long at-bat and then walk it can open up the hole. It can impact you.”

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who batted first in the majority of his first two seasons in the majors, still believes it’s important to find a leadoff hitter who can find ways to work the count. In a way, McCutchen said, it makes the leadoff batter the guinea pig for rest of the lineup to get a glimpse at what they can expect in an upcoming at-bat.

“A little bit of the art of leadoff is diminished in a way because you put your guys who can do everything — your five-tool guy who can hit for power, who can run — and lead them off,” McCutchen said, “but I still believe in having a guy who can see pitches, who can get on base and who can get to the next base by using their legs.

“It’s good to have a guy in there who can see pitches, hopefully, get him to use all three or four of his pitches in an at-bat so we have a good general idea of what he can do. Even if he doesn’t get on base, maybe he works a good count and gets him to throw six, seven pitches or whatever. … That leadoff guy is almost sacrificing his at-bat for the rest of the lineup. That’s what I tried to do when I led off. I just tried to do my best to see pitches and get on base as best I could.”

Neither Bae (1 for 11) nor Hayes (2 for 12) hit well out of the leadoff spot through Friday, but Bae fared significantly better working the count than Hayes. Where Hayes swung at his third straight slider Monday and his second straight sinker Thursday, Bae drew six straight four-seam fastballs in his first at-bat Monday and saw four types of pitches on while leading off on Wednesday and Friday.

Hayes acknowledged that he is fighting to get out of a funk at the plate and is more comfortable hitting lower in the lineup, though he hit a 440-foot leadoff home run Saturday at St. Louis. Hayes gave Bae an endorsement after the rookie hit a three-run homer for a 7-4 walk-off win over the Astros on Tuesday.

“Cruz was awesome there, but I think Bae can do it,” Hayes said. “He can put the ball in play a lot. He can run. I think he’s the perfect guy. He’s left-handed, he gets on a lot, he can put the ball in play and he’s a guy who can steal.”

Bae, who has started games at second base, shortstop and center field, likened where he bats to where he plays in the field: He has no preference, so long as he’s in the lineup.

“I usually hit leadoff in minors, so when I hit ninth it’s weird. I feel like I have so much time,” said Bae, who has a .304 OBP, six RBIs, four steals and seven runs scored this season. “I feel comfortable (batting leadoff).”

For now, the Pirates will continue to rely on matchups to determine which player will bat first in the lineup instead of putting the onus on one player to fill the shoes of Cruz.

It’s likely Shelton will tinker with other combinations. The Pirates used 15 players in the leadoff spot last year, including designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach, before settling on Cruz in late August.

“That is an advantage. You see what works best for that game and go from there,” McCutchen said. “It’s nice that we can move that around a bit and there isn’t just one person that we have to lean on to lead off. It’s good that we at least have that option.”