San Diego Padres left-hander Omar Cruz made his Major League debut Tuesday night at Petco Park, pitching a clean top of the ninth to close out a 7-0 shutout over the Cleveland Guardians.
¡Bienvenido al Show, Omar Cruz! pic.twitter.com/Q2qoMQNOwF
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 2, 2025
Cruz replaced reliever Jason Adam in the top of the ninth and struck out Cleveland outfielder Nolan Jones on a 94.2 mph four-seam fastball to open the inning.
Omar Cruz’s first @MLB strikeout is in the books ✔️ pic.twitter.com/9QCXTx9faY
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 2, 2025
He retired the side in order, getting Bo Naylor to fly out to right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and Gabriel Arias to ground out to shortstop Xander Bogaerts for the final out. The win improved San Diego’s record to 6-0 to start the 2025 season.
Padres starter Michael King threw 77 pitches—fuming 56 for strikes—over five dominant innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out 11.
His effort gave the Padres’ pitching staff a strong uplift, and the bullpen followed with a solid bolster of its own. Jeremiah Estrada, Yuki Matsui, Jason Adam, and Cruz combined to complete the shutout, allowing only two hits and three walks while striking out 16 batters en route to San Diego’s sixth straight win. King earned his first victory of the season and currently holds a 3.52 ERA through two starts.
Cruz, a 26-year-old native of Hermosillo, Mexico, appeared in four games during spring training and made one start. He posted a 4.05 ERA across 6.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, three earned runs, two walks, and striking out five with a 1.800 WHIP.
Last season, Cruz split time between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso, appearing in 34 games with seven starts. He went 6-2 with a 3.96 ERA and two saves, throwing 86.1 innings, allowing 69 hits, 38 earned runs, four home runs, 36 walks, and 118 strikeouts for a 1.216 WHIP.
He pitched in the 2024 Caribbean Series at loanDepot Park in Miami with the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico champion Naranjeros de Hermosillo. Cruz appeared in one game out of the bullpen, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out two in one inning.
In the 2023-24 winter league season with the Naranjeros, he went 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA over 14 appearances and five starts, throwing 27 innings, allowing 27 hits, 12 earned runs, 12 walks, 28 strikeouts, and a 1.444 WHIP.
San Diego picked up Cruz on December 6, 2023, assigning him to Triple-A El Paso that same day before sending him to Double-A San Antonio following spring training on April 2, 2024.
This is Cruz’s second stint with the Padres organization. He originally signed with San Diego as an international free agent on July 3, 2017, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on January 19, 2021, as part of a three-team deal that brought Joe Musgrove to the Padres.
That trade sent Cruz, David Bednar, Hudson Head, and Drake Fellows to Pittsburgh, while the Mets traded Endy Rodriguez to the Pirates and received Joey Lucchesi from San Diego to complete the deal.
Over six minor league seasons, Cruz has a 19-20 record with a 3.60 ERA in 128 appearances and 56 starts. He has logged 394.2 innings, allowing 336 hits, 158 earned runs, 26 home runs, 171 walks, and striking out 464 with a 1.285 WHIP.
With Padres relievers Jhony Brito, Sean Reynolds, and Bryan Hoeing all beginning the season on the 15-day injured list, Cruz will compete for a bullpen spot alongside Yuki Matsui, Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Wandy Peralta, Alek Jacob, and Adrian Morejon under the watchful eye of manager Mike Shildt as San Diego looks to contend in the National League West.
The Padres will close out their three-game series against Cleveland at Petco Park on Wednesday, April 2, at 4:10 p.m. EDT.
