Baseball is one of the most captivating sports in the world.
Two players don’t have to speak the same language or be part of similar cultures to communicate and express admiration for one another.
On Wednesday, an incredible interaction between Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani and Cincinnati Reds up-and-coming phenom Elly De La Cruz took place on the basepaths.
Ohtani was at second base and De La Cruz, playing shortstop, went there to say hello.
Not only did he do that, but he also touched Ohtani to make sure he was real.
“Elly De La Cruz touching Shohei Ohtani to see if he’s real and Ohtani giving him crap for where he hit a ball with an off-balance swing. The language of baseball >,” MLB insider Alden Gonzalez tweeted.
Elly De La Cruz touching Shohei Ohtani to see if he’s real and Ohtani giving him crap for where he hit a ball with an off-balance swing.
The language of baseball > pic.twitter.com/MJMGyUTtoN
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) August 24, 2023
No, Elly, you are not dreaming: it’s really Ohtani, and you are playing in the same league as him.
He looks like a little kid teasing his big brother, in fact, which is both cool and wholesome.
Ohtani is currently the best player in the league, boasting a 3.14 ERA as a pitcher and 44 homers and a league-leading 1.069 OPS as a hitter.
De La Cruz doesn’t pitch, of course, but his upside as a hitter is similar to that of Ohtani if things break right.
For now, he is sporting a .771 OPS as a rookie, with 11 doubles, 11 home runs, and 21 stolen bases in just 66 games.
He also has elite speed and a cannon of an arm.
You could say that two of the toolsiest players in the league gathered around second base.
Fans, of course, loved every minute of it.
NEXT: Elly De La Cruz Has Reached A Historic Mark