Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz joined a select group on Wednesday night by stealing his major league-leading 60th base of the year and becoming the fifth player since 1901 to have at least 20 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a single season.
De La Cruz stole third base in the fifth inning and later came home to score the tying run in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
A list of shortstops with a 20 HR, 60 SB season in MLB history:
– Elly De La Cruz pic.twitter.com/SFXlhTI0zd
— MLB (@MLB) August 22, 2024
Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. became the fourth player to join the 20-homer, 60-stolen base club last season, when he hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases.
Acuña became the first to do it since Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson in 1990. Henderson also did it in 1985 and 1986.
De La Cruz is the third Reds player on the list. Former Cincinnati star Eric Davis had 27 home runs and 80 stolen bases in 1986.
Reds great and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan had the first 20-homer, 60-steal season in majors history in 1973, hitting 26 homers and stealing 67 bases.
Morgan did it again in 1976, hitting 27 homers and stealing 60 bases.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.