Reds' Elly De La Cruz on pace for dubious yet impressive history

Cincinnati Reds All-Star Elly De La Cruz is on pace to achieve a dubious yet impressive MLB first.

Entering play on Wednesday, the Reds shortstop led the league in strikeouts (202) and steals (64). Should the 22-year-old end the season atop each category, he'll be the first to do so in the game's storied history, per Baseball Reference.

It's all but assured that De La Cruz will earn the unique distinction. With only nine regular season contests remaining for most teams, there isn't much time left for anyone to catch him in either stolen bases or strikeouts.

De La Cruz has the stolen base crown in the bag. His next closest competition is Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who trails by 15 after swiping his 49th bag Wednesday against the Miami Marlins.

Meanwhile, it's doubtful De La Cruz will relinquish the league lead in K's. Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar (187) and Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (183) are within striking distance, though both players would have to fall into epic slumps over the season's final few weeks to catch up.

Considering the number of times De La Cruz has gone down on strikes, it's remarkable that he leads the league in stolen bases. However, ranking 37th in on-base percentage (.342) and 17th in walks (68) has helped his cause.

De La Cruz's upcoming mark is genuinely unique. To put it into context, only three players in MLB history, Jonathan Villar (2016), Delino DeShields (1991) and Juan Samuel (1984), have recorded 50-plus stolen bases while also striking out 150 times or more in a single season, per Stathead .