Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) hits a home run during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Watch: Reds' Elly De La Cruz continues to amaze vs. Orioles

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 20, 2025 5:34 PM ET

Is there anything Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz can't do on the diamond?

In the top of the second inning in Sunday's road game against the Baltimore Orioles, De La Cruz made a flying catch on a line drive from second baseman Jackson Holliday.

CINCINNATI REDS SHORTSTOP, ELLY DE LA CRUZ pic.twitter.com/mHebrYLNIL
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 20, 2025

On the play, Orioles second baseman Jordan Westburg was on second. If De La Cruz didn't make the catch, the ball could've landed in center field and sent Westburg home.

After the incredible catch, De La Cruz homered off a 93 mph four-seam fastball from starting pitcher Charlie Morton in the top of the third inning, giving the Reds a 2-1 lead.

lol he can do it all ⚡️@ellylacocoa18 pic.twitter.com/xuqX46n16L
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 20, 2025

The Reds crushed the Orioles 24-2. De La Cruz finished 1-for-4 at the plate with one home run and one RBI. With the win, Cincinnati has improved to 11-11. They'll head to Miami for the start of a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday.

Despite a slow start for the Reds, De La Cruz is cementing himself as an early National League MVP candidate. As of Sunday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives him +2500 odds to win the award.

Through his first 22 games, he has 22 RBI and five homers. He is also producing some spectacular highlights.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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