“Elly De La Cruz Stuns MLB With Record-Breaking Performance: What Happened and Why It Changes Everything”

CINCINNATI — Elly De La Cruz reminded the baseball world why his name tops Google Trends on Saturday, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park. The 22-year-old superstar went 2-for-3 with a 387-foot opposite-field home run, a stolen base and four RBIs, snapping the Reds’ three-game skid and electrifying a sell-out crowd. Early fireworks Facing Cubs right-hander Colin Rea, De La Cruz jumped on a 2-0 fastball in the first inning, driving it into the right-field bleachers for his ninth homer of the 2025 season. The blast—clocked at 109 mph off the bat—put Cincinnati ahead 2-0 and set the tone for a game the Reds never trailed. Multi-tool mayhem The Dominican phenom showcased every element of his five-tool skill set: • Power: Ninth homer, tied for the club lead • Speed: League-leading 23rd stolen base, swiping second after a two-run single in the fifth • Average: Raised his slash line to .304/.380/.560 • Arm & Glove: Turned a seventh-inning laser throw from short to rob Pete Crow-Armstrong of an infield hit Clutch fifth inning De La Cruz’s ground-ball single through the right side in the fifth plated two more runs, pushing Cincinnati’s cushion to 5-1. Moments later he stole second and scored on Spencer Steer’s RBI knock, capping a three-run frame that chased Rea after 108 pitches—the most he has thrown this year. Supporting cast Left-hander Andrew Abbott improved to 4-0, limiting Chicago to one run over 5⅔ innings. Emilio Pagán secured his 13th save despite Carson Kelly’s ninth-inning homer. TJ Friedl chipped in two hits, while Santiago Espinal scored twice for Cincinnati. Cubs counterpunch Veteran Justin Turner belted his first homer in a Cubs uniform, and rookie Matt Shaw doubled twice in a three-hit afternoon, but Chicago’s rally came up short with the tying run at the plate in the ninth. Stat watch • De La Cruz leads all National League shortstops in OPS (0.940) and ranks second in steals. • Saturday marked his sixth career game with both a homer and a stolen base. • The Reds are 15-4 when De La Cruz scores at least one run this season. Big-picture impact The victory nudges Cincinnati to 26-27, just two games out of the NL Central lead. With injuries to key rivals and De La Cruz finding a new gear, FanGraphs now gives the Reds a 41 percent chance to reach the postseason—their highest projection since Opening Day. Looking ahead Cincinnati wraps up the four-game set Sunday before welcoming the division-leading Brewers. Manager David Bell confirmed De La Cruz will remain in the No. 2 spot, maximizing his plate appearances and green-light steal opportunities. Search spotlight Trending queries such as “Elly De La Cruz home run today,” “Reds vs Cubs highlights,” and “De La Cruz stolen base total” continue to spike, underscoring the young star’s magnetism for both fans and fantasy-baseball managers. Bottom line With jaw-dropping talent and a knack for headline moments, Elly De La Cruz isn’t just fueling the Reds’ playoff hopes—he’s driving MLB’s biggest buzz heading into Memorial Day weekend.