Cincinnati’s De La Cruz showcases power and arm strength in Los Angeles
De La Cruz’s offensive performance
Elly De La Cruz, shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, continued a notable hitting streak in Los Angeles, hitting a home run for the fourth consecutive game on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This achievement places De La Cruz among a select group in Reds history. He is now one of 11 hitters to have multiple streaks of at least four consecutive games with a home run during their careers with the team.
The list of players who have achieved this feat includes prominent names such as Johnny Bench, Jay Bruce, Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr., Ted Kluszewski, Tony Perez, Frank Robinson, Eugenio Suarez, George Foster, and Joey Votto.
De La Cruz’s performance against left-handed pitching this season has been particularly strong. He entered Tuesday with a .352 batting average, a .662 slugging percentage, and a 1.082 OPS against left-handed pitchers, leading Major League Baseball in all three categories. This marks a significant improvement from earlier in his career when he reportedly faced challenges against left-handed pitchers.
In the third inning of the Dodgers’ 3-2 win over the Reds, De La Cruz hit a two-run home run off American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. This home run registered at 109.4 mph off the bat, and a double in the eighth inning left the bat at 108.9 mph. These were the hardest-struck balls of the night between the two teams.
Defensive highlight and velocity
In the same inning that De La Cruz hit his home run, he also made a significant defensive play. Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández hit a fastball to center field that Dane Myers was unable to secure, allowing the ball to travel deep into the outfield. As Hernández rounded the bases, JJ Bleday retrieved the ball from left field and relayed it to De La Cruz, who was positioned in shallow center field.
De La Cruz then unleashed a throw to home plate that was clocked at an estimated 105.3 mph by Statcast, resulting in Hernández being tagged out. Hernández commented on the play, stating, “I think he’s the only one who can throw me out in that situation. Him, or somebody close to him with the strength in his arm. But we got to respect him.”
This throw stands as the hardest by a fielder this season, surpassing New York Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge’s 103.9 mph throw. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the impressive nature of the play, noting, “As a fan, it was fun to see Elly throw the baseball 105 mph, too. You don’t see that every night. A guy who can hit the ball 400 feet and throw 105 mph, I put my fan cap on for that one, for tonight.”
Season performance and outlook
De La Cruz, who is in his fourth full season in the major leagues, entered Tuesday with a 5.3 fWAR, which was the fourth-highest among qualified hitters and the second-highest in the National League. His arm strength ranks in the 91st percentile among players, with an average of 91.7 mph. Among qualified shortstops, he is second to St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn.
Despite the Reds’ position outside of postseason contention, De La Cruz has been a consistent highlight for the team. With 17 games remaining in Cincinnati’s season, a 30-30 season is a possibility, and he has already secured 20-20 status.
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Source: nytimes.com
