Oneil Cruz shocked as Emmanuel Valdez ruined his game of tic-tac-toe in Pirates dugout

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Apr 29, 2025, 00:20 IST

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Amidst a tense game against the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz engaged in a playful tic-tac-toe match in the dugout, which was hilariously disrupted by teammate Emmanuel Valdez. Valdez playfully erased the game, drawing amusing reactions from Cruz and the broadcasters. The hilarious banter was well received by Pirates' fans on social media.

Oneil Cruz shocked as Emmanuel Valdez ruined his game of tic-tac-toe in Pirates dugout (Image Source: Getty)

While the Pittsburgh Pirates players were facing the San Francisco Giants on the field, there was another important game being played at the Pirates dugout. A game that was violently interrupted by Emmanuel Valdez, which shocked the Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz.
What was happening at the Pirates dugout? Why were the players so involved in it when an important match was being played? We have the news here.

A game of tic-tac-toe turned teammates into foes

When the Pirates were out there facing the Giants, the camera zoomed in to the Pirates dugout as something interesting was brewing. The Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz was seen deeply involved in a game of tic-tac-toe with a fellow teammate.
While both players were playing tic-tac-toe in the dirt, Emmanuel Valdez came out of the dugout and rubbed his feet on the dirt board, which infuriated Cruz. To add more, Bryan Reynolds stomped on the tic-tac-toe dirt board to erase the game completely.

Well, Valdez was actually on his way toward the field when he saw both of his fellow teammates playing on the dirt and decided to drive their concentration to the game. It seems like Valdez’s trick worked.
It seems even the broadcasters enjoyed the tiny banter between Valdez and Cruz and tried to interpret their reaction. As per their interpretation, Valdez’s reaction meant,
“Get serious, it's the big league boys!”

The funny banter seemed to amuse both broadcasters and fans, with many even supporting Cruz’s reaction towards Valdez.

One fan went on to say, “Gotta respect the sacred art of Xs and Os.”

Pittsburgh Pirates' recent performance

Coming to the Pirates' performance, the team is still struggling on the field. They have lost a total of 18 games till now and won 11 games.

Though the numbers are not too good, the team is still trying to make up somehow. However, it seems they need to buckle up fast else it won't be soon when the Pirates will be out of the game. Their recent match with the Los Angeles Dodgers, led them to lose in an utterly disappointing manner. The final score was 9-2, with Dodgers winning the game single handedly.
Also Read: “That’s wild”- Fans go crazy as Tommy Pham seals Pirates win with stunning game-ending catch

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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