Anniversary bash: Elly hammers HR 1 year after making MLB debut

CINCINNATI -- On the one-year anniversary of his Major League debut, shortstop Elly De La Cruz gave himself and the Reds a present worthy of the occasion. If De La Cruz is indeed heating up the way it appears he is, it would be the gift that keeps on giving.

De La Cruz hit a three-run home run for a lead in the bottom of the third inning, while TJ Friedl hit an RBI double for the go-ahead run in the sixth in an 8-4 win over the Cubs on Thursday at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati (30-33) has won 10 of its past 13 games and five in a row.

“To be honest, I wasn’t really thinking about it today," De La Cruz said of his anniversary via translator Jorge Merlos. "I was just going out there and tried to have as much fun as possible and enjoy the game as best as I could.”

Facing Cubs starter Javier Assad in the third, Will Benson hit a leadoff single and Friedl drew a walk. With no outs, De La Cruz slugged a first-pitch cutter to right field to give Cincinnati a 3-2 lead.

It was De La Cruz's team-leading 11th homer of the season and his second in his past three games. He tattooed the drive only a Statcast-projected 375 feet, but it had an exit velocity of 114.7 mph. The ball eventually hit a fan's beer cup, spraying the beverage on her section of right-field seats.

“That’s pretty cool, 115, great angle," said Benson, who added a two-run single in the seventh inning. "It’s something special. I’m just happy he’s playing at that level because we all know he’s a superstar.”

The Reds needed the homer after falling behind, 2-0, on Seiya Suzuki's two-run homer in the top of the third off Hunter Greene.

"I think it was the key to the game, really, getting down and being able to answer back to get on the board," Reds manager David Bell said. "They’re always nice but I think that one in particular early in the game like that, it kind of changed the course of the game.”

De La Cruz batted .313 with a 1.063 OPS over his first 24 games, but as the Reds hit the skids during a rough part of their schedule, so did their second-year slugger.

In a 27-game stretch from May 4 through Sunday, De La Cruz batted .173 with a .489 OPS and one homer that came on May 11. Beginning with this week's series sweep at Colorado, he is 6-for-18 with two homers and a double while striking out once in 20 plate appearances in his past four games.

“You definitely can feel that coming up," De La Cruz said of getting hot. "But I had the same approach as I always go up there. Whether it’s a good day or a bad day, you’re still going up with a good mentality to make sure you get the job done.”

On June 6, 2023, De La Cruz was Cincinnati's top prospect as he debuted with heavy fanfare and buzz. His arrival brought instant electricity and, within a few days, the Reds broke out for a 12-game winning streak.

"I feel like I’m the same person," De La Cruz said. "I’ve always been the same person going out there. Sure, there have been changes here and there. I’m just the same player, as well.”

Over 161 career games, De La Cruz has 24 homers, 58 extra-base hits and 67 steals. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he's the only player since 1900 with those numbers posted within one year of his big league debut.

“He does something crazy every day," Friedl said. "Whether it’s offensively, defensively or on the bases, that’s a good thing about him. It’s not strictly offense. He can get on base. He can steal four bags in a game without getting a hit. He can make crazy defensive plays. It’s every day that he does something special.”

A teammate who also arrived with high expectations, Greene has seen De La Cruz's growth while embracing a center-stage role for the team.

“He’s extremely level-headed and grounded," said Greene, who pitched 6 2/3 innings with four earned runs while notching his 400th career strikeout during the win. "He comes early. I think somebody that’s in his position, it’s very easy to get complacent and not continue to work and just get happy or expect that you’re just going to go out and put results up. He understands that this game is extremely difficult and humbling. You have to keep pushing and keep trying to get better, and I feel like he puts himself in that position.”