In the fourth inning of Thursday’s game against the Reds, Giants first baseman Wilmer Flores learned a lesson that’s sure to be retained by many throughout the league for years to come: Don’t run on Elly De La Cruz.
Cincinnati’s sensational rookie flashed his loud skills yet again with two outs in the inning. When center fielder Luis Matos doubled to left-center field, Flores attempted to score from first base. That, unsurprisingly, ended up being a poor decision, as De La Cruz uncorked a missile of a throw to easily nab Flores at the plate to end the inning and preserve a 2–0 Reds lead.
Statcast clocked the throw home at 99.8 miles per hour, making it the fastest infield assist on record. That broke the previous record of 97.8 mph—which was also set by De La Cruz on Sunday against the Brewers.
A 99.8 MPH throw by Elly De La Cruz to get the out 🔥
— SI MLB (@si_mlb) July 20, 2023
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/1vKz6Z1Six
De La Cruz has been a dynamo since debuting on June 6. In 37 games, the 21-year-old is hitting .279/.321/.442 with four homers and 17 stolen bases, routinely showing off his elite athleticism. In his still-brief big-league career, he’s pulled off the rare feat of stealing three bases on two pitches and also hit for the cycle, captivating the sport in the process.
The Reds ended up winning on Thursday, 5–1, their second straight victory after losing five in a row to start the second half. Cincinnati is 24–13 in games De La Cruz has appeared in this season, and plays like this one show just how the budding star is able to impact the game in a variety of entertaining ways.
