Elly De La Cruz is in his second year in the MLB and has soared to stardom. The 22-year-old, born in the Dominican Republic, debuted in June last year for the Cincinnati Reds and quickly became a fan favorite in The Queen City.
As the Dominican continued his second season, he only grew his fandom. Earlier this season, De La Cruz interviewed in all English to connect with the reporters. Before his first All-Star game, he claimed he was learning Japanese to talk to star Shohei Ohtani. On Wednesday, De La Cruz flashed his style on the field and paid homage to some Reds fans who may not get enough love.
The shortstop reached base in the sixth inning and was seen sporting a sliding mitt of Big Red, the Western Kentucky University mascot.
BIG RED BASE RUNNING MITT https://t.co/63QTGLAVje
— š¹š Sickos Committee šØš· (@SickosCommittee) July 31, 2024
This sliding mitt caught the attention of fans on social media and received love from Reds fans in Kentucky. For most MLB fans in Kentucky, the Reds are the closest team geographically. This is another example of De La Cruzās style on the field and the effort that heās made to connect with fans in his second season.
De La Cruz has impressed with his play on the field on top of his style. Through 106 games, De La Cruz is batting .262 with 18 home runs and a league-best 55 stolen bases, 23 more than second place.
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WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds dives in for a triple during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 22, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
