It’s not easy to slow down Reds rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz on the basepaths. But Giants catcher Patrick Bailey did just that, flashing his cannon for an arm to gun down De La Cruz at second base during Thursday afternoon’s game in Cincinnati.
De La Cruz’s baserunning exploits have captured the hearts of MLB fans, including when he became the first player in 50 years to steal second, third and home in the same plate appearance. His 162-game pace is more than 76 stolen bases, which would be the highest mark in Major League Baseball since José Reyes in 2007.
Despite that, his running ability was no match for Bailey’s arm, who had already thrown out 14 runners this season coming into the day. That number gets more impressive when you consider that Bailey wasn’t promoted from the minor leagues until mid-May.
