Elly De La Cruz Left Terry Francona in Awe With Score From Second on Double-Steal

"My goodness sakes. That was incredible."

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There isn't much that Terry Francona, a former 10-year MLB veteran who is now managing his fourth franchise, hasn't seen in baseball. And yet, he still can't believe some of the things he's seen this spring from Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz.

De La Cruz is a defitional five-tool player, and may be the most dangerous baserunner in the game today. During Tuesday's spring training game against the Colorado Rockies, he managed to score from second base on a double-steal, something that Francona, who has over 4,300 MLB games under his belt as a player and manager, doesn't think he's seen.

"They say that you may see something when you come to a game that you've never seen before," Francona said, per The Enquirer (Cincinnati). "I've never seen that. I mean, that was—when he left third, I'm like, 'no, no, no, no. Good play.' I mean, that's as athletic and instinctual as you're ever gonna see. My goodness sake's. That was incredible."

Causing chaos, per usual ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/7uG27jsWKk

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 11, 2025

After winning two World Series with the Boston Red Sox and a successful 11-year tenure with the Cleveland Guardians, Francona may be coaching the most exciting player of his managerial career in his first year with the Reds.

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