ATLANTA – When archeologists 1,000 years from now examine the remains of this Cincinnati Reds baseball season, the greatest wonders of the dig might be how a team could be so bad in so many ways despite having the best rookie in the league (Sal Stewart), a Cy Young-caliber starting pitcher (Chase Burns) and one of the most dynamic shortstops in the game having a career year.
Of particular note will be the extra-human franchise history made by that shortstop, Elly De La Cruz, who began hitting home runs at an accelerating rate down the stretch of the lost season – and along the way became just the fourth player in Reds history to reach 30 home runs and 30 steals in a season.
De La Cruz, a two-time All-Star crushed his 30th home run of the season
off former Reds pitcher Tyler Mahle of the Braves in the top of the third inning Thursday (Sept. 24) in Atlanta.
Then, the Reds headed north for the final series of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays.
After hitting a double against pitcher Jose Soriano in the top of the third inning on Sept. 25, De La Cruz stole third base on the first pitch to cement his place in team history. De La Cruz joined the 30-30 Club as its fourth member in franchise history.
He joins mentors Eric Davis (1987) and Barry Larkin (1996), and Brandon Phillips (2007) on the franchise list.
"Man, he's been awesome. It's really fun to watch him, everything he's doing on both sides, on defense, on offense, both sides of the plate," veteran teammate Eugenio Suárez said. “He’s been great.
"I always tell him, 'Never stop. Go for more. Be that guy who wants more and more and more every year and put yourself in good position of doing better every time.' “
De La Cruz, who led the National League in steals with 67 in his first full season of 2024, never hit more than 25 home runs (also 2024) before this season.
He reached this year’s career benchmark despite missing nearly a month in June because of a hamstring injury – after playing 160 and 162 games the previous two seasons.
When he clobbered that pitch from Mahle for No. 30 it was his ninth in 21 games this month – a team record for a switch-hitter in a calendar month.
Already producing at a career breakout pace before his injury, De La Cruz has been one of the best hitters in baseball since the All-Star break, accelerating the production over the past five weeks in particular.
As for what a 30-30 season means to him, De La Cruz said this week it means a lot and he wants it, but that he’s mostly just enjoying the way he’s been able to play during this strongest finish of his career.
"I enjoy every moment every time I have the opportunity to go out there and have fun," he said. "So I'm enjoying it, 100 percent.”
After he nabbed steal No. 29 in the opener of the Braves series and then slugged homer No. 29 a few innings later, manager Terry Francona was asked about his best player’s 30-30 pursuit.
"I wish he could get 40-40,” Francona said. "It's probably a little late. But that would be fun to watch."
Probably.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 30-30 for Elly! De La Cruz latest Reds player to reach exclusive club
