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Elly De La Cruz's Cannon Relay Throw Beat Javier Baez to the Plate by a Mile

This throw was a missile.
Tim Capurso|
De La Cruz unleashed a missile of a throw to get Baez at the plate.
De La Cruz unleashed a missile of a throw to get Baez at the plate. | Screengrab Twitter @Reds

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Cincinnati RedsDetroit Tigers

The Cincinnati Reds defense, led by shortstop Elly De La Cruz, saved a run against the best team in the American League, the Detroit Tigers, during Saturday's game.

In the bottom of the third inning with Tigers third baseman Javier Baez on first, Detroit shortstop Trey Sweeney doubled into one of the deepest parts of Comerica Park, prompting Tigers third base coach Joey Cora to wave Baez around third. Reds right fielder Jake Fraley fielded the ball on one hop off the wall and fired an excellent throw to De La Cruz, the cutoff man, as Baez rounded third base.

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De La Cruz then uncorked a 98.3 MPH relay throw that beat Baez to the plate by what seemed like a country mile. The ball was waiting for Baez, who was tagged out by Reds catcher Jose Trevino.

One can quibble over whether Cora should have sent Baez or not, but the fact that it took a near-perfect throw to the cutoff man followed by a superhuman relay throw tells you that it at least wasn't the worst idea. De La Cruz is no stranger to making ridiculous throws. Back in April of 2024, the Reds star unleashed a 106.9 MPH throw on a play that resulted in an error. Sometimes, his throws are literally too hot to handle.

In addition to his stellar play in the field, De La Cruz also added a home run and a pair of runs scored to his tally on Saturday.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.

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