Reds' rookie class shines in walk-off win over Padres
In a game that featured some of the brightest stars in baseball, Cincinnati Reds shortstop Matt McLain, infielder Elly De La Cruz and infielder Spencer Steer shined the brightest.
Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto and Manny Machado all had their moments for the San Diego Padres on Friday where they showed why they’re some of the best players in baseball. De La Cruz and McLain had moments of their own where they showed why they’re two of the best young players in the sport.
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McLain saved the day for the Reds in the 10th inning with a game-tying two-run homer with two outs. In the 11th, De La Cruz drove in the game-tying run with a 115.4 mph double to right field. Then, Steer crushed the walk-off homer in a 7-5 win.
Another electric crowd got another incredible moment to celebrate as the first-place Reds kept their momentum going. The Reds got another walk-off victory and another reminder of how special their young core can be.
Since McLain got called up, he has been one of the five best shortstops in baseball. He might not have enough at-bats to make the All-Star team as he got called up in May. Even in his limited sample size, McLain still ranks in the top-10 in WAR among shortstops and in the top-20 among shortstops in most statistical categories.
With the Reds’ backs against the wall against the Padres, McLain did what he has done all season. He stayed patient, looked for his pitch and showed the power that makes him one of the most important pieces for the Reds’ future.
Following McLain’s game-tying swing, the Padres took the lead back in the 11th inning with an RBI single that snuck by Reds second baseman Jonathan India. Like the Reds have done all season, they kept finding ways to bounce back.
De La Cruz delivered the next big blow with one of the hardest hits of the entire Reds season. In another big moment, the reigning NL Player of the Week gave another reminder that he has some of the best raw power in the sport.
Steer has a case as the Reds’ most valuable player in 2023. He hasn’t looked like a rookie all year, and he has proven this year that he has a long-term spot in the middle of the Reds order.
Together, the Reds’ three rookie position players showed why they can be stars in the making.
Takeaways from Reds vs. Padres
1. On Friday, Graham Ashcraft looked like a pitcher who felt confident that he was trending in the right direction. As he allowed one run across 6 ⅔ innings, he’d flex or slap his mitt after every inning. His celebrations got more and more intense as he got deeper into the start, and it crescendoed with the Soto shuffle, which Ashcraft did to taunt the Padres’ star. When Ashcraft got a standing ovation as he left the game, he stuck both of his hands up and pointed to the crowd. Ashcraft gave the Reds one of their most important starts of the season on Friday, picking up an offense that was uncommonly quiet for most of the game.
2. Tyler Stephenson has been in the middle of a strange season. He had always hit for a high average, but Stephenson struggled more in 2023 after coming back from last year’s season-ending injury and moving around positions this season. On Friday, he showed the potential that keeps the Reds confident in his future. He pulled the go-ahead homer to left field to give the Reds a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning.
3. Reds closer Alexis Díaz blew his first save of the season. He allowed a ground ball single to Cronenworth, who scored following a bunt single and two sacrifice flies. Díaz escaped the inning with a runner on third base, but he let the Padres take the game to extra innings. Even though Díaz pitched well, the Padres managed to become the first team to spoil one of his save opportunities, and they did it with a combination of ground balls and fly outs.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds' rookie class shines in walk-off win over Padres
