It’s laborious to consider a extra thrilling participant in MLB than Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
He’s shaping as much as be this yr’s Ronald Acuna Jr.: a participant with immense energy and the flexibility to steal bases in bunches.
Actually, if he retains up his present tempo, he’ll attain new heights and will even high Acuna’s 41-homer, 73-steal season final yr.
“Elly De La Cruz is on tempo for a historic season,” the league tweeted, detailing his power-speed tempo in a graphic.
Elly De La Cruz is on tempo for a historic season.
pic.twitter.com/3b4aAlP1Yf
— MLB (@MLB) Might 3, 2024
De La Cruz is presently on tempo to go yard 42 occasions this yr, and steal a whopping 94 bases.
Such a excessive tempo is extremely tough to keep up, but when there’s a participant bodily succesful and expert sufficient to take a shot at it, it’s De La Cruz.
He’s wholesome, hungry, and ready to face MLB pitching.
It took some time (he had a somewhat disappointing .710 OPS final season regardless of 13 house runs and 35 steals), however De La Cruz has matured as a hitter.
Not solely does he have eight house runs and 18 thefts already in 2024, however he has a .968 OPS.
That’s the place you see how a lot he has grown: he has at all times had energy and pace, however constantly inflicting harm on the plate and on the basepaths was nonetheless a piece in progress.
That’s not the case anymore: we’re witnessing the breakout of a star, one that may include loads of dingers and stolen bases.
Followers simply have to take a seat again and revel in.
The publish Elly De La Cruz Continues To Play At Historic Tempo appeared first on The Chilly Wire.