Elly De La Cruz hit his 30th home run of the 2026 season Wednesday night in Atlanta, and the Reds came back to beat the Braves 7-6. The blast — 402 feet to right field off former teammate Tyler Mahle — was the biggest hit of the game and the first 30-homer milestone of De La Cruz’s career. Now he needs just one stolen base, and he has three games left in Toronto to get it.
The Home Run That Flipped the Game
It was the third inning at Truist Park. Cincinnati was down 4-2 when De La Cruz stepped in against Mahle — the same Mahle who used to share a clubhouse with him before heading to Atlanta. A poorly located splitter, a clean swing, and 402 feet later, the Reds had a rally on their hands. That at-bat sparked a three-run inning that turned a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 lead. Cincinnati held on, tacked on more runs, and closed it out 7-6, taking the series two games to one against the reigning NL East division champions.
«It’s the first time I’ve reached 30 home runs. That’s something everyone wants to do, so it’s very special,» De La Cruz said in his postgame interview, per MLB.com, on September 24, 2026. It’s not just a round number — it’s the highest single-season home run total of his career.
One Stolen Base From an Exclusive Club
Heading into Wednesday’s game, De La Cruz already had 29 home runs and 29 stolen bases. With homer No. 30 in the books, the count sits at 30/29. One stolen base separates him from a 30/30 season.
That might sound straightforward, but only three players in Reds history have ever done it: Eric Davis in 1987, Barry Larkin in 1996, and Brandon Phillips in 2007. Across all of MLB history, just 51 players have reached that mark. De La Cruz has three games in Toronto to become the fourth Red on that list.
When asked whether he’d be aggressive on the bases to chase steal No. 30, he didn’t overthink it: «Whenever I’m playing, I’m looking to do whatever it takes to help us win,» he said in the same postgame session cited by MLB.com. That answer pretty much sums up his entire September.
A September That Changed the Conversation
Over his last 28 games, De La Cruz hit .411 with a 1.245 OPS, nine home runs, and seven stolen bases. Not a hot week — a full month of elite baseball. For the full season across 140 games, he’s slashing .285/.367/.884 with 77 RBI. At 24 years old, he’s built a season that goes well beyond a Reds storyline.
What the Numbers Actually Say
The Statcast profile behind the 2026 season explains why none of this is a fluke:
- 618 plate appearances
- 30 home runs, 77 RBI
- AVG: .285 | OPS: .884
- xwOBA: .375 — 94th percentile (elite)
- Exit velocity: 94.7 mph average — 100th percentile (elite)
- Barrel rate: 16.2% — 98th percentile (elite)
- Hard-hit rate: 53.8% — 98th percentile (elite)
- Bat speed: 76.2 mph average — 92nd percentile (elite)
- Sprint speed: 78th percentile
Toronto is where the 2026 regular season ends for De La Cruz — and where he gets his shot at closing out something very few players ever accomplish in an entire career.
