Cincinnati’s ‘Fastest Man in the World’ Draws Steroid-Stained Barry Bonds Comparisons but Not for the Right Reasons

Times might be tough, but ‘Cincinnati’s Fastest Man’ has caught fan attention. Elly De La Cruz has accomplished a herculean task. The rookie has been a great addition to the Reds roster this year, instrumental in keeping them abreast in NL East standings. Now, as commendable as this might be, one of his achievements finds some uncanny resemblance to the controversial Barry Bonds.

The retired San Francisco Giants slugger made waves when he arrived on the MLB scene in 1986. Fans today know him as the Home Run King but even as a rookie, Bonds enamored the league through his raw power hitting. Some think De La Cruz could be on the same path as one of baseball’s greatest but for completely wrong reasons.

Another Barry Bonds In The Making? 

Elly De La Cruz – this young and talented rookie has captivated the world of MLB, boasting 10 home runs and 15 stolen bases in the first 58 games of his career. These stats documented by ESPN show the caliber of this prodigy. However, a comparison to Barry Bonds in this case is unmissable. 

 The only person to have gotten there faster has been Barry Bonds in his initial 57 games. Elly De La Cruz, hitting .264 overall with 10 homers, 26 RBI, and 16 stolen bases is now in the middle of the Reds order. This marks an applaud-worthy start for the 21-year-old. However, the comparison to Barry Bonds served as a detriment rather than a compliment.

Bonds’ steroid-tainted past is well known, although he’s widely suspected to have used them in the early 2000s. His rookie year was likely free of drugs but given this latest comparison, some think otherwise.

Read More: Did You Know That Controversial and Arrogant Barry Bonds Was Actually Polite and Helpful?

This started a rally of comments by fans linking Barry Bonds’ steroid-driven performance to Elly De La Cruz, undermining his performance.

Fans Have Something Else To Say

While the performances from both players have been stellar, the juxtaposition of De La Cruz with Bonds is not for the right reason. Drawing some mixed reactions for the fastest man in the world, a moniker De La Cruz gave himself, fans had this to say.

While some suspect that it was steroids that helped him near the unmatched score Barry Bonds had once delivered, others have a positive outlook.

Some thought De La Cruz may even surpass Bonds one day.

Nevertheless, the Cincinnati Reds continue to show an interesting performance on the field. The fun team that Cincinnati Reds is, De La Cruz is nothing short of a gem for them.

Watch This Story: From Unforeseen Beginnings to Unstoppable Greatness – The Remarkable Journey of Giants Legend Barry Bonds