Cincinnati Reds superstar rookie Elly De La Cruz has helped the team soar up the power rankings since his June 6 debut. The Reds, who stood at 27-33 prior to the 21-year-old joining the team, are now entering Sunday at 50-40, in first place of the NL Central.
Cruz’s emergence has been sensational, and although he’s played in just 29 games, the 6-foot-5 shortstop has already become a household name not just in Cincinnati but throughout baseball.
It’s not uncommon for the NL Rookie of the Year candidate to make headlines, whether it’s by being one of the fastest players in baseball, making incredible plays in the field, or hitting rockets to the moon.
On Saturday, De La Cruz made waves by becoming the youngest player in MLB history to steal all three bases in one inning (live ball era). Somehow, he accomplished the feat in a span of just two pitches.
We know it sounds like a bad movie script no one would believe, but De La Cruz actually pulled it off in real life. Here’s the clip.
De La Cruz’s incredible performance helped the Reds defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5, stretching their slim NL Central lead. Needless to say, the Brewers were not prepared for the electric speed and aggressive nature the Cincinnati rookie brings to the basepaths.
Chances are, doing such a move again won’t be so easy. Then again, De La Cruz makes everything look easy, so who knows?