Reds' Elly De La Cruz: Hits first big-league homer
Rotowire
De La Cruz went 2-for-4 with a triple, a two-run home run and an additional run scored in an 8-6 victory versus the Dodgers on Wednesday.
In his sixth big-league plate appearance, De La Cruz hammered a 458-foot two-run shot to right field in the first inning off veteran hurler Noah Syndergaard. The exit velocity on the homer was 114.8 mph, making it the hardest hit ball of the season so far for the Reds. De La Cruz is looking like an immediate difference-maker in fantasy leagues -- since his call-up, he's gone 3-for-7 with three-extra base hits and two walks as Cincinnati's cleanup hitter.
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Reds' Elly De La Cruz: On base three times in debut
Rotowire
De La Cruz went 1-for-3 with a double, two walks and a run scored in Tuesday's 9-8 win over the Dodgers.
De La Cruz's first career MLB hit was a 112-mph double to the gap in right-center field, which is already the hardest-hit ball by any Reds player this season. He showcased his patience by drawing two walks and also recorded a sprint speed of 30.4 feet per second. He has all the tools to be a star and should be a set-it-and-forget-it player in fantasy lineups now that he's up in the majors for good.
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Reds' Elly De La Cruz: Gets first start at shortstop
Rotowire
De La Cruz is batting cleanup and hitting fourth versus the Dodgers on Wednesday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
De La Cruz went 1-for-3 with a double and two walks in his MLB debut against the Dodgers on Tuesday while playing third base, and he'll handle shortstop duties versus Noah Syndergaard and Los Angeles on Wednesday. Kevin Newman is playing third base and hitting eighth with Matt McLain lined up as the designated hitter while batting second.
De La Cruz is playing third base and batting cleanup in his MLB debut Tuesday versus the Dodgers.
De La Cruz jumps right into a prominent spot in the Reds' lineup following his official promotion Tuesday afternoon from Triple-A Louisville, where he had registered a sparkling 1.031 OPS with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases through 38 games. The dynamic 21-year-old top prospect can also play shortstop, but Matt McLain has locked down that gig since earning his own call-up in mid-May. Beyond third and short, De La Cruz should also be an option in the DH role for Cincinnati.
Cincinnati recalled De La Cruz from Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.
One of the top overall prospects in baseball and absolutely dripping with multi-category fantasy upside, De La Cruz is set to make his major-league debut in the Reds' series opener Tuesday with the visiting Dodgers. The 21-year-old switch-hitting infielder was sporting a robust .298/.398/.633 batting line with 12 home runs, 36 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 38 runs scored through 38 games (186 plate appearances) this season at the Triple-A level. He tallied 28 homers and 47 steals in 121 games last year between High-A Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga. There are issues with strikeouts, but the sky is the limit on De La Cruz's long-term potential as a new era of Reds baseball begins.
