It has been over a decade since the Pittsburgh Pirates last made the playoffs, but with a young core headlined by Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, Konnor Griffin, and Oneil Cruz, the Pirates are building a team that is capable of pushing for the playoffs in 2026. In Thursday afternoon's 8-7 loss to the Washington Nationals, it was Cruz who joined Boston Red Sox legend and Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski in the history books. 

Cruz finished the game 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, and for the second straight season, he leads Pittsburgh in times on base, runs, RBI, and stolen bases through 19 games. Per OptaSTATS, Cruz becomes just the second left-handed batter in the live ball era to lead their team in that particular group of statistics twice since Yastrzemski did so in 1971 and 1974. 

Yastrzemski got off to a scorching start to the '71 season, reaching base 37 times, thanks to a .343 batting average and .458 on-base percentage, scoring 19 runs, and driving in 20 in the team's first 19 games. Perhaps what was most surprising about Yastrzemski's stat line was that he led the team with just one stolen base.

Then again, in the 1974 season, he reached base 37 times, scored 12 runs, and drove in 18. This time, though, Yastrzemski one-upped himself, swiping three bags in those 19 games. 

The 6'7 Cruz joins the Hall of Famer by reaching base 31 times, scoring 15 runs, driving in 17, while stealing nine bases, more than Yastrzemski stole in the entire 1971 season.

Cruz burst onto the scene in 2022 thanks to his blazing speed and incredible knack for hitting the ball hard, but has yet to reach the superstar level many expected of him when he first arrived in the big leagues. While he does join Yastrzemski in this particular record, Cruz has his work cut out for him if he wants to join the Red Sox legend in Cooperstown. 

- Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow joined WEEI's The Greg Hill Show on Thursday morning to discuss Jarren Duran's latest incident with a fan, the team's slow start, and more. 

- In his first start since being named to Baseball America's top 100 prospects list, Red Sox fifth-ranked prospect Juan Valera left Thursday night's start with the Greenville Drive with elbow inflammation. 

- Ahead of Friday night's game at Fenway Park against the Detroit Tigers, Red Sox manager Alex Cora shared some updates on a pair of injured Red Sox pitchers. Per Mass Live's Chris Cotillo, reliever Justin Slaten will begin playing catch on Friday or Saturday. Slaten hit the injured list ahead of the series finale against Milwaukee with an oblique strain. Starter Kutter Crawford, who was returned from his rehab assignment due to elbow discomfort, is still experiencing some pain.

The Red Sox will kick off a four-game set with the Tigers on Friday night. Ranger Suarez will get the start for Boston opposite Casey Mize for Detroit. First pitch from Fenway Park at 7:15 p.m. ET. Tigers

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