Rockies Announcers Call Elly De La Cruz “Superhuman” After Incredible Play

Elly De La Cruz did it all on Tuesday night. He had three hits. He hit a home run. He stole a base. Oh, and he made two fantastic defensive plays.

In fact, the play he made in the second inning had the Rockies TV announcers stunned.

De La Cruz went all the way in the hole, behind third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes and made an off-balance throw that Sal Stewart was able to scoop to get the out at first.

"I am telling you, Elly De La Cruz is super-human," one announcer said. "That is not an average play for any shortstop. I am going to guess that he is probably the only one in the big leagues besides Bobby Witt that can make that play."

"I've never seen a play like that," the other announcer said. "Long hop, over the third baseman, backhand, quick transfer, on the run...never seen that."

Terry Francona Had High Praise for His Shortstop

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) hits a his 10th home run of the season, scoring Dane Myers, in the eighth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds won the opening game of the series, 7-2. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

De La Cruz had another impressive play later in the game. In the seventh inning, with runners on first and third with one out, Graham Ashcraft got a ground ball to shortstop that looked like it was going to be a simple play. However, the ball took a terrible hop and De La Cruz was somehow able to adjust and start the inning-ending double play anyway.

Reds manager Terry Francona loved both defensive plays by his shortstop but noted they were both impressive for different reasons.

"The play he made to his right with a runner on first, that is just as physically as impressive of a play as you're ever going to see," Francona said. "I think the play that might have been more impressive was the double play ball because that ball could have hit him in the Adam's apple. That to me was a really good play."

As good as De La Cruz has been offensively to start the season, his defense has also improved significantly.

"We work for it," De La Cruz said. "We work in the offseason, in Spring Training. We are just doing our job."

After the game, De La Cruz was asked by reporters if the best part of the game was his stolen base, what he did offensively, or what he did defensively.

"The win," De La Cruz said with a smile. "That's the best part. Just play to win."

Now it’s all starting to come together, and Elly De La Cruz is becoming the superstar the Reds believed they had all along.

Watch De La Cruz's play as heard on all broadcasts below:

Add us as a preferred source on Google