Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz claims Play of the Week with full-extension diving catch

MLB announced that Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz earned his third career Play of the Week Award, after previously winning on July 15, 2024 and earlier this season on April 7.

Overall, it is the fifth award for the Reds after Yasiel Puig won on May 19, 2019 and Will Benson won April 10, 2023.

De La Cruz is the third player since the inception of the award in 2019 to win multiple times within the first month of the season, joining Milwaukee’s Lorenzo Cain in 2019 (3/28 and 4/26) and Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins in 2024 (4/8 and 4/22).

With one out in the bottom of the second inning and the Reds holding onto a 1-0 lead, Jackson Holliday lined a ball back up the middle as De La Cruz ranged over and leaped into the air, sprawling out to make the catch and keep the potential tying run at second base.

Watch the play at: https://www.mlb.com/video/elly-de-la-cruz-wins-play-of-the-week-for-unr….

Additional Play of the Week candidates included a pair of plays from José Caballero, starting a double play with a between the legs flip and robbing a home run; Cal Raleigh’s running shovel pass to first; Anthony Volpe’s backhand stop and Paul Goldschmidt’s stretch at first base; and Cody Bellinger’s game-ending diving catch.

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