The Cincinnati Reds are off to their best start in 11 years and Elly De La Cruz is a big reason for their success..
De La Cruz is one of two players to have played in every game for the Reds this year and he is on a tear. He is hitting .280 with an on-base percentage of .389 and slugging .579. His OPS+ of 171 leads the team by a wide margin and is 12th in MLB.
His on-pace numbers are hilarious. If De La Cruz continues this level of performance, he will hit 42 homers, steal 94 bases, while totaling 157 hits and 89 walks. On-pace numbers are more hypothetical than anything, as we know he will experience some lean times during the season.
Still, the early season trends for De La Cruz are a result of repeatable plate discipline that he has developed and good pitch recognition. Maybe he can hit these numbers and continue being the absolutely awesome player we’ve seen so far this season for the Reds.
More must-reads: