Elly De La Cruz’s 105.3 MPH Throw Stuns Dodgers, Broadcasters Alike

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz delivered one of the season’s most talked-about defensive plays on Tuesday night, gunning down Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez at home plate with a relay throw that Statcast clocked at 105.3 miles per hour.

The play unfolded in the bottom of the third inning, when Hernandez tried to stretch a triple into an inside-the-park home run. After the ball was relayed from the outfield to De La Cruz in mid-center field, the shortstop fired a strike to catcher Jose Trevino, who tagged out Hernandez by more than a step.

Broadcast booth reactions

The Reds.TV crew of John Sadak, Chris Welsh and Jim Day could barely contain themselves on the call.

“What a relay from Elly De La Cruz!” Sadak exclaimed, noting the disbelief among Dodger Stadium fans as Hernandez was cut down. After confirming the Statcast reading, Sadak added: “105.3! Is this man real?” Welsh later quipped that while the triple is often called baseball’s most exciting play, “that is the most exciting triple that I’ve seen all year long.”

Day said even the Reds’ staff, who watch De La Cruz daily, were stunned. “There were tons of disbelief looks, hands in air, mouths open,” he said. “It was an awe-inspiring moment even to those that watch him every day.”

Social media lights up

Clips of the throw spread quickly across social platforms. The Reds’ official account posted the Statcast measurement, while beat reporter Gordon Wittenmyer described “another rocket relay throw” from the shortstop, noting the game was tied 2-2 in the fourth. Accounts including Jomboy Media and Talkin’ Baseball amplified the highlight, with the latter pointing out that De La Cruz had showcased eye-catching athleticism on both sides of the ball within a single inning.

Sports media spotlight

Moments like this are fuel for the sports media ecosystem that monetizes viral highlights and live game coverage. Fox Corporation (NASDAQ: FOXA), whose entertainment portfolio includes national sports rights across its cable and television segments, is among the media companies whose business models depend on must-see moments driving tune-in and social engagement. Shares of Fox Corporation closed at $65.23, down 0.38% from the prior close of $65.48, valuing the Communication Services company at roughly $27.7 billion.

Plays of this magnitude tend to ripple beyond the box score — generating replay packages, sponsor-adjacent content and continued discussion across broadcasts and digital platforms in the days that follow.

What to watch

• Whether MLB’s Statcast highlights or weekly awards recognize the 105.3 MPH throw.
• The remainder of the Reds–Dodgers series and any further defensive highlights from De La Cruz.
• Fox Corporation’s upcoming earnings report and commentary on sports viewership trends.

Source: original release