Elly De La Cruz officially locked up the first 30-homer, 30-stolen base season of his career, punching his ticket into an exclusive club. He snagged third base in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during the Reds’ final series of the season, cementing a truly historic individual achievement. It’s the kind of pure brilliance you just have to respect, even if his team, the Cincinnati Reds, ended up losing that particular game 6-5.
Welcome to the 30-30 Hall, Kid
Think about that for a second: a 30-30 season. That’s not just rare, it’s legendary in baseball. For the Cincinnati Reds, De La Cruz’s accomplishment marks only the fourth time in franchise history a player has hit that incredible benchmark. We’re talking about serious company here: Brandon Phillips in 2007, the iconic Barry Larkin in 1996, and the electrifying Eric Davis in 1987. Every single one of those guys is already chilling comfortably in the Reds’ Hall of Fame. It didn’t take long for one of them to welcome the new blood, with Barry Larkin himself tweeting, “Congrats Elly de la Cruz. 30/30. Welcome to the club.” That’s a serious stamp of approval from a legend.
A New Breed of Superstar, Only 24 Years Old
Let’s be real, De La Cruz has been knocking on this door with a sledgehammer. Back in his breakout 2024 season, he put up a ridiculous 25 homers and a mind-blowing 67 steals. This year? Arguably even better. He’s set career-highs across the board in his slash line at an awesome .285/.367/.522. He blasted his 30th homer against the Atlanta Braves just the day before, a new personal best for dingers. And get this, while 30 stolen bases might actually be his fewest in four seasons, it shows a refined, efficient approach. This dude is a certified electric talent, period. How many shortstops do you know that are 6-foot-6? Someone that tall shouldn’t be one of baseball’s fastest players, let alone swinging that hard with an above-average batting average. It just defies belief. Over the past 30 days, his OPS clocked in at a jaw-dropping 1.232, the highest in all of MLB. And he’s only 24 years old! It’s tough to see him doing all this on a struggling Reds franchise, sitting in last place in the NL Central with a 74-86 record, but his individual fire is absolutely undeniable.
So, the final series of the season is winding down for the Reds, but for Elly De La Cruz, this 30-30 milestone is a massive statement. It solidifies him as one of the game’s most exciting, must-watch young stars. What’s next for this phenom heading into 2027? We can’t wait to watch him continue to rewrite the rules of what a shortstop can truly be in this league.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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