De La Cruz becomes 5th player in MLB history to hit 20 home runs and steal 60 bases

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In the fifth inning of Wednesday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz stole third base. This steal secured a spot for De La Cruz in the MLB record books. The swipe was De La Cruz's 60th of the season. 

He also has 21 home runs, making him the fifth player in MLB history to record 20 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a single season. He achieved this feat in just his second MLB season. De La Cruz made the milestone steal on a low pitch from Blue Jays reliever Brendon Little to Tyler Stephenson with Toronto leading 6-5 and one out in the inning.


 He came around to tie the game at 6-6 on a fielder's choice.

In his second MLB season, De La Cruz, a first-time All-Star, becomes one of the few players, including Ronald Acuña Jr, Eric Davis, Ricky Henderson, and Joe Morgan, to achieve 20 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a single season. Acuña, at 26, is a four-time All-Star and the current NL MVP. Davis, a two-time All-Star, and Henderson and Morgan, both Hall of Famers, are also in this exclusive group.



Acuña was the last player to achieve the feat in 2023 during his MVP campaign. Before that, Henderson was the last player to reach the 20/60 threshold in 1990. He also reached the milestone in 1985 and 1986. Davis also did it in 1986, while Morgan reached 20/60 twice, in 1973 and 1976.

New rules mean more stolen bases

There is a key reason behind the rare accomplishment of achieving a milestone in consecutive seasons following a 32-year dry spell. The distance between the bases has been slightly shortened due to a rule change in 2023, which aimed to increase stolen base attempts. Additionally, pitchers are now restricted to two pick-off attempts per plate appearance as part of a broader set of rule changes designed to make the game more exciting.

This initiative is proving to be effective, especially for players with great speed such as Acuña and De La Cruz, who are taking full advantage of these changes. De La Cruz is in a strong position to reach 70 stolen bases, with the Reds having 35 games remaining after Wednesday, providing him with ample opportunity to increase his total.

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