The calendar confirmed the Pittsburgh Pirates’ concerns that time was running out on Oneil Cruz to play again this season, so they decided Tuesday to pull the plug on hopes of his return.

The 6-foot-7 shortstop fractured his left ankle on an awkward slide into home plate against the Chicago White Sox on April 9, an injury that required surgery. Cruz’s recovery was delayed when he experienced soreness at the outset of a running program last month.

“You guys know what the calendar is. We’re running out of days,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “With an injury that happened that long ago, being able to do the proper rehab process, we got to the point where we ran out of time. The rehab is continuing to go well. Now I just think we have to figure out how we’re going to facilitate the offseason.”

Cruz, who turns 25 on Oct. 4, played only nine games this season after batting .233/.294/.450 with 13 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs and 54 RBIs in 87 games last season, when he finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Not only did the Pirates lose their starting shortstop but their leadoff batter and a five-tool player who ranks among the game’s fastest, has one of the strongest arms and hardest-hit rate. The Pirates have used nine players at leadoff and seven shortstops since Cruz went down.

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“It was a significant loss for us for a couple reasons,” Shelton said. “No. 1, the strides that we saw him make at the plate. Just in the short period of time in spring training, the ability to shorten up, the ability to swing at strikes. The second thing is, when you lose a guy in the middle of the diamond that you’re counting on, it’s a significant blow to our team. And it changed the whole complexion of our lineup.”

Cruz took the setback to his schedule in stride, focusing on his health moving forward instead of dwelling on the lost season.

“It’s hard not to be out there helping my teammates, being out there with my teammates,” Cruz said through interpreter Stephen Morales. “Mentally, I’ve been in a good spot the whole time. I’m always a positive guy. Physically, we’ve got some setbacks, but we’re going to overcome those. I feel a lot better now.”

The next step will be to determine whether Cruz will play this offseason, whether it’s in the Arizona Fall League or for his native Dominican winter league team, Tigres del Licey, who play a three-game series at Citi Field in November.

“The main thing is just to get better,” Cruz said. “We’re doing that. We’re working hard right now to get in a good spot and see some improvement. And then will come a team decision or from myself at that point whenever we decide what to do in the offseason.”

Cruz was batting .250 with a double, a home run and four RBIs in nine games at the time of his injury, and said he plans to pick up where he left off when he returns to the Pirates next spring.

“As soon as I feel like I’m 100% — and we’re on our way to do that right now — the mental part will kick in and then we’ll go after it and it will be like it used to be,” Cruz said. “I’m going to set my bar high from last year and do things I can’t even imagine right now. I’m going to be in a good spot mentally and physically, and it’s going to be a special year.”

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