Key Takeaways:
– Elly De La Cruz performed exceptionally well in the Cincinnati Reds’ 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
– De La Cruz credits his connection to Los Angeles to his first US visit and playing ‘Grand Theft Auto’ as a child.
– Despite being relatively new to major league baseball, De La Cruz is already stirring MVP conversations.
– With significant improvement in his performance, he could potentially win MVP as early as the current season.
Elly De La Cruz, the rising star of the Cincinnati Reds, shone brightly in a 7-2 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 16. This was hardly a surprise, as the 22-year-old player is known for his exceptional performances in Los Angeles.
De La Cruz’s LA Connection
When asked about his remarkable games in Los Angeles post-match, De La Cruz gave a candid response, tying his fondness for the city to his life experiences. “This is my city… my first time in the U.S. was here in L.A and I play a lot of GTA [Grand Theft Auto] when I was a little kid,” he remarked. “Yeah, this is my city.”
Showing Mastery in His Early Years
Making his Major League Baseball debut in 2023, his brief but impressive career at Dodger Stadium has seen a .556/.600/.944 stat line in just four games. He has racked up extra-base hits, runs and steals, making a huge impact on the Reds’ performances.
Improving Performance in 2024
It wasn’t long before De La Cruz made a name for himself in the big league. His notable debut year had him finishing seventh in the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year Award voting. In 2024, the young shortstop escalated his game significantly. His triple slash improved to .277/.378/.516 over 180 plate appearances, leading the league in steals with a remarkable count of 30, as of May 17.
Potential MVP Contender
With an impressive start to his career, De La Cruz is sparking conversations for the National League MVP. Competing against renowned players like Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani, the young talent is certainly turning heads in the baseball community.
On May 14, Tim Kelly from the Bleacher Report positioned De La Cruz third in his NL MVP award power rankings. Highlighting De La Cruz’s impact on the game, Kelly shared, “He’s homered nine times, driven in 21 runs and leads MLB with 25 stolen bases.” Kelly further praised De La Cruz’s potential to become a future NL MVP and one of the sport’s new stars.
With his current trajectory, it seems De La Cruz’s “the future may be now” moment is not far away.
As the Cincinnati Reds continue their journey this season, fans will be watching De La Cruz ascend, possibly turning the “potential MVP” conversations into reality.