Throughout his short major league career, José Barrero De La Cruz has been nothing short of impressive. The Cincinnati Reds rookie has shown his mettle in every game so far, and Wednesday night was no different. De La Cruz hit a two-run home run and a triple, propelling the team to an 8-6 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
De la Cruz recorded the second-hardest-hit home run by a player aged 21 or younger since Statcast started tracking in 2015. He hit an 0-1 fastball off Noah Syndergaard at 114.8 mph, landing it into the last rows of the right-field stands. Additionally, De La Cruz tripled on a curveball in the third inning, reaching third in 10.83 seconds, the fastest time in the major leagues this season, according to Statcast.
Reds manager David Bell has expressed his confidence in De La Cruz’s ability to excel in the big leagues. De La Cruz has proven him right by hitting his first major league home run in Tuesday night’s game against the Dodgers. The 21-year-old switch-hitter hit a two-run homer that tied the score at 2 against Dodger’s Noah Syndergaard in the first inning. He finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate and tripled in the third inning.
De La Cruz is equipped with impressive talent, and he has shown that he can be a vital asset to the Cincinnati Reds. In his debut Tuesday night, he was 1 for 3 with two walks, and the home run came in his sixth plate appearance. With a .297 batting average and 1.031 OPS in Triple-A Louisville, the rookie is poised to become a superstar in the major leagues.
Other Reds players contributed to the team’s success on Wednesday, including T.J. Hopkins, who hit a ninth-inning infield single, and Will Benson, who hit a game-ending home run off Evan Phillips, giving Cincinnati its second-straight walk-off win and extending the Dodgers’ losing streak to a season-high four.
The Los Angeles Dodgers had a rough night, with Noah Syndergaard giving his worst performance of the season thus far. Syndergaard expressed disappointment in his performance, stating that he felt like the “weakest link on the team” after giving up six runs in three innings of play.
The Cincinnati Reds have stayed in contention for the NL wild-card race after winning road series against Washington, Miami, and the Chicago Cubs. Cincinnati has outrun opponents 51-20 during their six-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have lost six of their past nine games.
The Reds will host the Dodgers for the second game of the three-game series on Wednesday. Cincinnati’s fans will be watching closely, hoping to see more of José Barrero De La Cruz’s impressive performances and another victory for their team.
