Elly De La Cruz joins Hall of Famer in Cincinnati Reds record books

Shortstop Elly De La Cruz slugged his way into the Cincinnati Reds record books on Tuesday.

De La Cruz belted a Tanner Gordon fastball to left field in the eighth inning for a two-run home run. That homer was his 10th of the year as he joined Hall of Famer Tony Perez (1970) as the only players in Reds history to hit 10 or more homers in a season before May. 

De La Cruz had been white-hot to start the season. He entered Tuesday with a .274/.349/.558 batting line, hitting nine homers and five doubles in his 126 plate appearances.

Cincinnati Reds hoping Elly De La Cruz can replicate Tony Perez's 1970 season

Perez had arguably the best season of his Hall of Fame career in 1970. He posted a .317/.401/.589 batting line in his 681 plate appearances, hitting a career-high 40 homers and 28 doubles while driving in 129 runs. Perez was an All-Star that season and finished third in the NL MVP voting. The Reds won the NL pennant in 1970, losing to the Orioles in five games.

The Reds could certainly use a replication of Perez's 1970 season. They are looking to build off their playoff appearance in 2025 and have a two-game lead over the Cubs in the NL Central. The 24-year-old De La Cruz may be on the verge of taking the next step forward in the majors, establishing himself as one of the brightest stars in the game. Tuesday may not be the only time De La Cruz carves his name into the Reds history books.