Elly De La Cruz Had Emotional Reaction After Hitting HR After Death of His Sister

De La Cruz chose to play on Sunday vs. the Cubs after learning the horrible news on Saturday.

Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz points to the sky after hitting a home run. / MLB/Screengrab

Elly De La Cruz honored his late sister in a special way during Sunday's Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs game.

De La Cruz's older sister Genelis died on Saturday after an ongoing health battle. He was adamant about playing on Sunday despite learning the horrible news on Saturday.

The Reds star pointed to the sky multiple times during Sunday's game, but the most special moment happened in the sixth inning when De La Cruz hit a two-run home run, which happened to be his 50th career homer. As he rounded the bases, he tapped his heart and pointed to the sky to honor his late sister. Then, he put his hands in a heart shape.

Elly De La Cruz chose to play today after recently learning about the death of his sister.

He then hit this home run and pointed to the sky and made a heart gesture. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/gGK1ukAWhC

— MLB (@MLB) June 1, 2025

De La Cruz, who is known for his unique cleats, also wrote a message on his cleats for Sunday's game in honor of his sister.

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