Cincinnati Reds sensation Elly De La Cruz has officially become a member of an elite power/speed club. Just a day after reaching the milestone of stealing 100 bases in his first two seasons, De La Cruz added another feat to his resume by hitting his 25th home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, making him the first shortstop in history to achieve 25 homers and 65 steals in a single season.
Watch De La Cruz’s 25th home run here:
Joining the exclusive 25-homer, 65-stolen base club is a remarkable accomplishment regardless of position. De La Cruz is only the fifth player ever to achieve a 25-65 season, a feat that has only been done six times in MLB history. Other players who have hit 25 homers and stolen 65 bases in a single season include some of the all-time greats.
At just 22 years old, De La Cruz boasts an impressive .260/.343/.471 slash line along with his impressive home run and stolen base numbers. He currently holds a 4.9 WAR, placing him among the top players in the National League alongside the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Matt Chapman, Francisco Lindor, and Ketel Marte.
Despite De La Cruz’s outstanding power and speed, the Reds have struggled this season with a record of 75-80 and have already been eliminated from postseason contention. The last time Cincinnati made the playoffs was in 2020, and they have not made it in a full 162-game season since 2013.