MLB Super Rookie De La Cruz breaks record with 160km bullet flight
By Jangwon Seo = Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Cincinnati Reds Super Rookie Eli De La Cruz, 21, has been making waves in the big leagues and beyond.
He was called up to the big leagues for the first time last month and has settled in nicely, batting .279 with four home runs, 16 RBIs, 17 doubles and an OPS of .763 in 37 games. His strikeout rate is a blemish, but he’s doing well considering it’s his rookie season.
It’s not just his stats that are turning heads, but also his extraordinary fastball.
De la Cruz started at shortstop in the first inning of the 2023 MLB World Series against the San Francisco Giants at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, on 21 July, and showed off his incredible throwing ability in the top of the fourth inning.
With two outs and the bases loaded, De La Cruz received a ball from the left fielder and threw straight to home plate, tagging out first baseman Wilmer Flores who was rushing home.온라인카지노
De la Cruz was able to get out of the inning unscathed, thanks in large part to his speed. The throw to home plate from the outfield grass was clocked at a whopping 99.8 mph (160.6 km/h). It was the fastest infield pitch since Statcast began measuring it in 2015. It’s a testament to the power of De La Cruz.
This isn’t the first time De La Cruz has turned heads with his fastball. On the 17th of this month, he hit a 97.9 mph (157.6 km/h) fastball while playing third base against the Milwaukee Brewers. He broke his own record just four days later.
“I know I can throw the ball as fast as I can,” De La Cruz said after the game, according to MLB.com, adding, “You know what, I can throw it harder than I did today.”
MLB.com marvelled, “De la Cruz’s fastball was faster than the top five fastest pitches in the game.” The fastest pitch thrown by either team was San Francisco reliever Mauricio Rivera at 97.4 mph (156.7 km/h).
