Remember the 1997 'Freak Show' Pirates? You know, the team with a $9-million payroll that competed with the Astros for the division until the final week of the season?
The 2022 Pirates are far from that group. Tuesday night's 8-2 victory over the Mets was only win No. 50 on the season, and the Pirates have to finish the season 13-15 the rest of the way just to avoid a 100-loss campaign.
However, there is one member of this team that might be known as a "freak." Or a "unicorn." Whatever you want to call him, Oneil Cruz -- despite all of the struggles that have come with learning the major-league game -- is putting on a one-man freak show.