Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz of Sabana Grande de Boya, Dominican Republic made Major League Baseball history on Wednesday. In an 11-7 Reds win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, De La Cruz recorded his 60th stolen base. In the process, he became the fifth player ever to have 60 stolen bases and record 20 home runs in a single season.
De La Cruz’s stolen base came in the top of the fifth inning. It was part of a Reds’s double steal as third baseman Noelvi Marte of Cotui, Dominican Republic also stole a base. De La Cruz stole second base and Marte stole third base. It was an impressive comeback for the Reds, as Cincinnati was once down 6-0 before they came back to win the game.
Elly De La Cruz in 2024
De La Cruz is batting .262 with 22 home runs and 56 runs batted in. During 125 games, 477 at bats, and 541 plate appearances, he has scored 82 runs and had 125 hits, 28 doubles, eight triples, 55 walks, 235 total bases, two sacrifice bunts, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .345, and slugging percentage of .493. The sacrifice bunts came in a 9-6 Reds win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 24 and in a 4-1 Reds win over the Colorado Rockies on June 4. The sacrifice fly came in a 6-3 Reds win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
Who are the other four players to accomplish the feat?
Reds second baseman Joe Morgan of Bonham, Texas accomplished the feat twice. He hit 26 home runs and had 67 stolen bases in 1973. Morgan then had 27 home runs and 60 stolen bases in 1976. Left fielder Rickey Henderson of Chicago, Illinois accomplished the feat thrice. He had 24 home runs and 80 stolen bases with the New York Yankees in 1985, 28 home runs and 87 stolen bases with the Yankees in 1986, and 28 home runs and 65 stolen bases with the Oakland Athletics in 1990. Reds outfielder Eric Davis of Los Angeles, California had 27 home runs and 80 stolen bases in 1987, and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. of La Guaira, Venezuela had 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases in 2023.
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