If you’re surveying the baseball panorama for video games to observe, I’ve a reasonably good thought of how the method ought to go for tonight. If your favourite group is enjoying properly, you’re most likely going to observe them first. Other than that, if you happen to’re going to concentrate to any baseball sport that doesn’t contain your favourite group for the following couple of days then your eyes needs to be locked in for what’s occurring in Cincinnati this week.
At first look, a matchup between two 37-41 groups in what’s collectively essentially the most mediocre division in baseball doesn’t appear to be a lot to write down residence about. It’s particularly the case when you think about that the Cincinnati Reds have solely been to the Postseason 4 occasions since 2010 and gained a grand complete of two video games in these appearances whereas the Pittsburgh Pirates solely made it three years in a row from 2013 by way of 2015 and likewise gained a grand complete of two playoff video games throughout that span. There hasn’t been a lot of a motive to concentrate to those two golf equipment they usually haven’t actually given anyone an actual motive to concentrate to them exterior of the occasional insane-looking brawl.
That modifications this week, as we’ve now bought two excellent causes to tune in to this collection: Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz. One of my favourite issues about baseball is that regardless of the on a regular basis nature of the game, there’s at all times an opportunity that if you happen to tune in or go to the ballpark then you definitely’re going to see one thing that you simply’ve by no means seen earlier than. It’s true for any sport, it’s very true when any certainly one of De La Cruz or Cruz is enjoying within the sport and it solely doubles when each of them are going to be sharing the identical discipline for at the least two-and-a-half hours for the following couple of nights.
While Elly’s exploits on the diamond have been extensively documented proper right here on SB Nation, it’s considerably comprehensible that Oneil Cruz’s motion has sort of gotten misplaced within the shuffle with regards to the Pirates. After all, Bryan Reynolds remains to be the face of the franchise over there, Andrew McCutchen has returned to put on the one uniform that he’s appeared utterly proper in (exterior of perhaps these throwback Phillies uniforms) and Paul Skenes has exploded onto the MLB scene and has shortly established himself as a pressure to be reckoned with on the mound. While this hasn’t translated to the Pirates profitable ballgames frequently, it’s not utterly boring to maintain up with the Pirates these days.
However, Oneil Cruz is totally value listening to as a result of his spotlight reel consists of stuff that’s scarcely plausible at occasions. This is the man who at the moment holds the document for the hardest-hit ball within the Statcast Era of MLB at 122.4 mph and used to carry the document for the toughest throw from an infielder in the course of the Statcast Era with a 97.8 mph laser that he uncorked as a rookie again in 2022. His arm strength is within the 99th percentile. His bat pace is within the one centesimal percentile, which naturally implies that his Average Exit Velocity can also be comically excessive, his Barrel share is simply as lofty and his Hard-Hit share is in the identical neighborhood. While he’s not up there with the actual burners by way of foot pace, his 87th-percentile Sprint Speed appears to point that he nonetheless blaze throughout the basepaths if wanted.
Cruz remains to be within the strategy of placing all of those aspects collectively with a view to develop into a very nice baseball participant however his potential is correct there for everyone to see. It’s very tough to determine who has the next ceiling than than Cruz and it’s certainly one of many explanation why he doesn’t simply have Pirates followers enthusiastic about any progress that he could make. If Oneil Cruz can understand his full potential sooner or later, it’ll be basically as if a completely maxed-out create-a-player from the video video games has come to life.
Millions of baseball followers have at all times dreamed of by some means changing into a bodily pressure of nature who may run just like the wind, throw tougher than some pitchers and hit dingers almost 500 toes whereas principally leaving a mark on everything else he hits. The distinction between aspirational video players and Oneil Cruz is that he has the actual and tangible probability to truly develop into what was at all times figured to be a digital wild dream for many followers.
Speaking of gamers who’ve ceilings which can be increased than the Empire State Building, that’s the place Elly De La Cruz got here in. While there’s debate as as to if or not Oneil Cruz is the highest star for the Pittsburgh Pirates, there’s no debate with regards to the scenario in Cincinnati. Elly De La Cruz is the man round there — whether or not we’re speaking identify recognition, highlights or manufacturing, Elly has bought all of it in spades.
As I alluded to within the aforementioned hyperlinks to different articles about Elly De La Cruz, the man simply seems to be a sentient spotlight reel. You need tape-measure residence runs? He’s got em. You need Web Gems that will’ve made him a staple on Baseball Tonight? He’s got those, too. You wish to see him tear up the basepaths? He’s got you on that as well. You wish to see him do all of it within the strategy of terrorizing the Dodgers? It’s humorous you must ask as a result of there’s video evidence of that as well.
What makes it so gratifying to observe Elly De La Cruz do the issues that he does on a nightly foundation is that it was plainly apparent from the second that he confirmed up in Major League Baseball that he was able to changing into such a participant. However, identical to Oneil Cruz proper now, it was additionally evident that he nonetheless wanted to place all of it collectively. After all, you are able to do loads of superb issues on the sphere however it gained’t notably matter all that a lot if you happen to’re hitting .235/.300/.410 with a .305 wOBA and solely 89 wRC+, which is what he completed with in 2023 after enjoying 98 video games. Heading into motion on June 25, De La Cruz is now hitting .249/.342/.464 with a .352 wOBA and a wRC+ of 123. It’s clicking for him even when he’s not doing something spectacular and his group main fWAR of three.3 can also be proof that he hasn’t sacrificed another portion of his sport with a view to enhance in one other side.
He’s nonetheless stealing bases at an absurd clip — he’s already surpassed his stolen base complete of 35 final season, he’s at the moment sitting on 37 stolen luggage and the sky is the restrict with regards to how excessive that quantity can get. His protection has additionally improved as he’s not merely leaning on his prodigious arm power. He’s at the moment in ninety fifth percentile of fielders with an OAA of 6. He’s steadily turning into a whole baseball participant, which needs to be thrilling for each Reds followers with regards to doubtlessly turning the ship round in Cincinnati and it’s additionally thrilling for us impartial followers since that simply means he’s capable of doing something truly absurd irrespective of if he’s hitting, fielding or running the bases. Stuff that was figured to be unattainable up to now is simply a part of another day at the ballpark for Elly De La Cruz.
Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz will not be miracle staff who can drag their respective groups to the promised land however they’re each doing greater than their fair proportion of the work in making their respective groups enjoyable to observe. While Oneil Cruz remains to be within the strategy of displaying fast glimpses of his potential, we’re beginning to see Elly De La Cruz totally blossom right into a real-deal famous person in baseball. Both of them shall be on the identical discipline this week when the Pirates and Reds face off with one another in Cincinnati. While these two groups might not command your consideration, these two gamers actually ought to.