Cruz lands on concussion IL; Simon makes emotional return to Majors

MILWAUKEE -- The Pirates placed center fielder Oneil Cruz on the 7-day concussion injured list on Wednesday, a day after he exited a loss the Brewers early due to a collision with left fielder Jack Suwinski on a catch attempt.

Second baseman Ronny Simon was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move.

Cruz, 26, has hit .207 with 18 homers, 51 RBIs and a National League-leading 34 steals through 108 games this year.

Cruz left Tuesday’s game in the sixth inning to be evaluated after his head hit the knee of Suwinski, who attempted to make a sliding catch of Joey Ortiz’s fly ball in the fourth inning of what would turn out to be a 14-0 loss to the Brewers.

“It’s serious. When you’re dealing with concussion symptoms, you have to be really careful,” manager Don Kelly said.

The last time Simon, 25, appeared on a Major League field was as a member of the Marlins in a game in which he committed three costly errors in the span of three innings.

After Simon made his final two errors in the fourth inning of the May 27 game against the Padres at Petco Park, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough came to the mound to chat with his rattled second baseman as supportive teammates offered encouragement.

As the inning ended, an emotional Simon wiped away tears as he left the field. He was replaced in the lineup and was designated for assignment by the Marlins three days later. Simon was claimed off waivers by the Pirates shortly after.

Now, after nearly three months, Simon is back in the Majors, called up by the Pirates on Wednesday to fill Cruz’s roster spot and immediately inserted into the lineup. He led off and played right field in the series finale against the Brewers on Wednesday afternoon, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

“He swung the bat well and ran really well down the line,” Kelly said.

Simon is moving past the nightmarish game with the Marlins, during which he was actually briefly charged with a fourth error in the contest before a scoring change. His miscues helped fuel a Padres comeback, who rallied from a 6-0 deficit to win 8-6.

Speaking at this locker in the visitors’ clubhouse at American Family Field on Wednesday, Simon said he was grateful for the opportunity with the Pirates while reflecting on the end of his time with the Marlins.

“That situation with the Marlins, it was good for people and my teammates to see the human part of a player and also that we have emotions and feelings for this game and we want to do good,” Simon said through translator Stephen Morales.

While at Triple-A Indianapolis, Simon hit .291 with seven homers and 30 RBIs in 52 games.

“I’ve been working on my defense a lot because defense wins games,” said Simon, who started in right field on Wednesday. “At the plate, I’m trying to be consistent with my approach and be aggressive up in the strike zone.”

Simon said he’s working on becoming a more consistent all-around player.

“This level requires a lot of preparation. Mentally, just be prepared and compete and be in a good spot,” he said. “It’s just a matter of dealing with the mental stuff.”

Simon said he’s motivated to prove that he belongs in the Majors.

“The motivation is way up there for me,” he said. “It’s just a matter of going out there and enjoying the game and the time on the field and not put too much pressure on yourself. When you put too much pressure on yourself, then you stop enjoying the game.”