'I've never seen that': Elly does something Tito can't believe
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Elly De La Cruz opened the bottom of the fourth inning Tuesday by effortlessly legging out an infield single with a burst of speed that wowed the crowd.
That was nothing compared to what was coming.
The 23-year-old phenom took second base one batter later when Austin Hays was hit by a pitch, giving the Reds runners at first and second with no outs in a scoreless game against the Rockies and catcher Tyler Stephenson digging in.
During the at-bat both De La Cruz and Hays broke on a double steal.
Rockies catcher Drew Romo took his shot at throwing out Hays at second, but Hays was safe. Meanwhile, De La Cruz not only safely stole third, he just never stopped running and came all the way around to score with the ball never leaving the infield.
“You know [how] they say you may see something when you come to a game you never seen before? I’ve never seen that,” said Reds manager Terry Francona, who has been in Major League Baseball since breaking in as a 22-year-old rookie in 1981. “When he left third I’m like ‘no no no no … good play.’ I mean that’s as athletic and instinctual I think as you’re ever gonna see. Goodness sakes. That was incredible.”
The play was originally scored as one stolen base, with De La Cruz then taking home on the throw. A short while later, word came down of an official scoring change, crediting De La Cruz with two steals on the play.
There’s much more than speed to marvel at on such a play, says the first-year Reds manager.
“Everybody sees the physical stuff, but if he doesn’t keep his head up and know where the ball is, that doesn’t happen,” Francona added.
De La Cruz’s 67 stolen bases in 2024 led the Majors, but that’s only the half of it.
The All-Star also became the first shortstop in MLB history with 25+ homers and 65+ stolen bases in a single season. He is the fastest MLB player to reach 100 stolen bases and 100 extra-base hits (251 games, beating Juan Samuel’s 253). He also joined the Cardinals’ Vince Coleman (217 SB, 1985-86) and the Athletics' Rickey Henderson (133 SB, 1979-80) as the only players in the Modern Era (since 1900) with 100+ steals through their first two Major League seasons.