In the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz stole third base.
The steal secured a spot for De La Cruz in the MLB record books. The swipe was De La Cruz’s 60th of the season. He also has 21 home runs, making him the fifth player in MLB history to record 20 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a single season. He secured the feat in just his second MLB season.
De La Cruz made the milestone steal on a low pitch from Blue Jays reliever Brendon Little to Tyler Stephenson with Toronto leading 6-5 and one out in the inning.
He came around to tie the game at 6-6 on a fielder’s choice. The Reds won 11-7.
A first-time All-Star in his second MLB season, De La Cruz joins Ronald Acuña Jr, Eric Davis, Rickey Henderson and Joe Morgan in recording 20 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a season. Acuña, 26, is a four-time All-Star and the reigning NL MVP. Davis was a two-time All-Star, and Henderson and Morgan are in the Hall of Fame.
Acuña was the last player to achieve the feat in 2023 during his MVP campaign. Before that, Henderson was the last player to reach the 20/60 threshold in 1990. He also reached the milestone in 1985 and 1986. Davis also did it in 1986, while Morgan reached 20/60 twice, in 1973 and 1976.
New rules mean more stolen bases
There’s a contributing factor to the rare feat being achieved in consecutive seasons after a 32-year drought. The basepaths are slightly shorter now thanks to a 2023 rule change that increased the size of the bases to encourage stolen base attempts. Pitchers are also limited to two pick-off attempts per plate appearance as part of a larger set of rule changes intended to liven up the game.
The effort is working, with speedsters like Acuña and De La Cruz taking advantage. And De La Cruz has a legitimate shot at reaching 70 stolen bases. The Reds have 35 games remaining after Wednesday, leaving De La Cruz ample time to add to his total.
