Pirates' Oneil Cruz finally gets to meet his namesake, Yankees legend Paul O'Neill

Title: Pirates' Oneil Cruz finally gets to meet his namesake, Yankees legend Paul O'Neill Pittsburgh Pirates player Oneil Cruz finally got to meet his namesake, New York Yankees legend Paul O'Neill, in person after their first conversation over FaceTime two years ago. Oneil Cruz's father named him after Paul O'Neill, who was his favorite player when he was with the Texas Rangers in the mid-1980s. Oneil Cruz has not had much success against the Yankees in his young MLB career so far, going 1-for-11 against them since his debut in 2021. However, the 2024 season has been a breakout year offensively for Oneil Cruz, with 21 home runs, 71 runs, and 76 RBIs, which has impressed Paul O'Neill. Paul O'Neill was honored that Oneil Cruz was named after him, saying it's quite an honor when Yankees fans name their children after players. O'Neill noted that Oneil Cruz was born in 1998, which was a wonderful year for the Yankees as they won the World Series that year. Oneil Cruz had to correct people in his hometown who assumed his name came from Shaquille O'Neal, when it was actually named after Paul O'Neill. Oneil Cruz said he hasn't really dug into the full story of how his father chose his name, but he plans to find out more about it. Paul O'Neill was impressed by Oneil Cruz's size and physique, saying 'He's not a little guy' and that Cruz has a bright future ahead of him. The meeting between Oneil Cruz and Paul O'Neill was an emotional and meaningful moment, with Cruz expressing his happiness and pleasure at finally getting to meet his namesake in person.

Original Article: https://sports.yahoo.com/pirates-oneil-cruz-finally-gets-to-meet-his-namesake-yankees-legend-paul-oneill-005214340.html

Original Article Author: Yahoo Sports