Skip to main content
Join Now

O'Neil Cruz wears Donkey Kong Air Jordan cleats in Pirates vs. Blue Jays matchup

Wade-Peeryby: Wade Peery06/01/24
On3 image
© Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to cleats, it’s one of the cooler parts of a uniform that players get to express a little bit of extra personality and flair. And on Friday night in his MLB matchup, O’Neil Cruz came with some serious heat on his feet, rocking some Donkey Kong/Super Smash Brothers Air Jordan 1 cleats.

Check out the combination here.

This is his fourth year with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 53 games with the team this year, he’s blasted seven home runs and knocked in 20 RBIs. He saw the most action in 2022, when he hit 17 home runs and 13 doubles in 87 games.

Pittsburgh currently sits at 26-31 overall and the Blue Jays are 27-29. On Friday night, the Blue Jays defeated the Pirates 5-3.

Cruz made his major league debut in 2021. A native of the Dominican Republic, he signed his first contract as an international free agent with the LA Dodgers in 2015. They gave him a $950,000 signing bonus. In 2016 with the DSL Dodgers, Cruz batted .294 with 23 runs batted in 55 games. He started the 2017 season with the Great Lake Loons.

In July of 2017, the Dodgers traded Cruz and Angel German to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Tony Watson. Then they assigned him to the West Virginia Power. In 105 games between the two teams, Cruz hit 10 home runs with 44 RBIs.

In 2018, he played with the West Virginia Power, batting .286 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs in 103 games, before earning South Atlantic League All-Star honors. Eventually a few years later, he made his MLB debut on October 2nd, 2021. Cruz got to play in two major league games in the 2021 campaign, hitting his first career home run on October 3rd in Pittsburgh.

Last year on April 10th, 2023, Cruz fractured his left fibula while sliding into home plate after it was blocked by White Sox catcher Seby Zavala. He was initially expected to miss four months, but after a number of setbacks, he was ruled out for the entire 2023 campaign.

Without a doubt, the biggest attraction for the Pittsburgh Pirates this year and beyond is pitcher Paul Skenes. The flamethrower was just recently called up to the major leagues and he hasn’t disappointed, throwing some serious gas with accuracy on the mound. There’s a reason he was the No. 1 overall prospect in the MLB Draft and Skenes has shown everybody why.