Elly De La Cruz Delivers Two Defensive Gems Against Rockies
Elly De La Cruz made two standout defensive plays against the Colorado Rockies this week, and both came in the kind of spots that test a shortstop’s range and body control. elly de la cruz has spent two seasons hearing questions about whether his size would hold up at the position, but Tuesday and Thursday offered a sharper answer.
On Tuesday, he backed up Ke'Bryan Hayes' jumping attempt to field the ball and threw across his body in time to record the out at first base. On Thursday, he ranged behind second base, dove onto the outfield grass and threw to first base to beat the runner.
Tuesday Behind Hayes
The Tuesday play stood out because De La Cruz had to react after Hayes left his feet. He moved into the backup spot, controlled the ball and still made the throw across his body fast enough to get the out at first.
That sequence matters because it showed more than straight-line speed. It asked him to read the play, recover his angle and finish with an accurate throw under pressure, the sort of work that had been part of the debate around his defense since his Major League debut in 2023.
Thursday In The Grass
Thursday brought a different look. De La Cruz ranged behind second base, left the dirt for the outfield grass and got the throw to first in time to beat the runner. The play required him to cover more ground, then get back to a throwing lane without losing enough time on the exchange.
Those two clips arrive after a long stretch of scrutiny. He struggled defensively during his first three Major League seasons, led the league in errors in 2024 with 29 and again in 2025 with 26, and piled up 38 throwing errors and 37 fielding errors across those two seasons.
Reds Defense And The Numbers
Still, the broader defensive picture has not been one-sided. De La Cruz has 13 career outs above average at shortstop, a number that sits alongside the error totals and helps explain why the evaluation around him has not been simple.
The play clips also carried their own response. One post with the defensive highlight used the line, “WOW, ELLY, WOW.” That reaction matched the week’s most direct evidence: the Reds’ shortstop made difficult plays against Colorado, and he did it in ways that spoke to range, recovery and throwing ability rather than raw athletic tools alone.
For Cincinnati, the practical takeaway is straightforward. De La Cruz is no longer just a player people are trying to project at shortstop; he is giving the club defensive sequences against major league competition that can be measured, replayed and weighed against the error totals that once defined the discussion.
