Nationals manager Davey Martinez took issue with the antics of Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz on Wednesday.
While otherwise complimentary of Cincinnati’s emerging star, Martinez voiced a complaint over the gesture De La Cruz made after hitting a home run in the fifth inning.
“I love the way he plays the game,” said Martinez, via Andrew Golden of The Washington Post. “I didn’t like his antics after he hit the home run. We can do without that. He’s only got two weeks in the big leagues. But he’s gonna be a good player.”
In the second inning of Wednesday’s game, Martinez requested umpires investigate the white knob handle on the tip of De La Cruz’s bat. Play was suspended for multiple minutes while officials examined the equipment before ultimately deeming it to be legal.
Cruz struck out in the second, but when he came to bat in the fifth, he mashed a towering 455-foot home run. Before taking off to round the bases, De La Cruz could be seen pointing towards the tip of his bat (he didn’t have the knob handle attached) and then pointing in the direction of the umpire. It seems that gesture didn’t sit well with the Nationals’ skipper.
While Martinez has expressed he has no doubts about the 21-year-old’s game and potential be a star, the 58-year-old admitted he was left unimpressed by the Reds star’s antics after his solo shot.
De La Cruz went 3-for-6 at the plate during Wednesday’s win as Cincinnati improved to 48-39 on the year.
