The stars were out in full force on Monday night at Great American Ball Park. But when the dust settled, only one star shone brighter than the rest, and his name was not Aaron Judge.

This was supposed to be the New York Yankees’ night to keep their momentum alive. After two wins against the struggling Baltimore Orioles, they came to Cincinnati with hopes of putting their recent slump behind them. Of course, Judge, as always, delivered early, blasting his 28th home run of the season in the first inning.

The crowd erupted in cheers, and for a while, it looked like the New York Yankees were back to being themselves. But then came the man of the night—Elly De La Cruz! The 22-year-old shortstop didn’t just answer the Yankee captain; he stole the show. In the fourth inning, with a screaming triple to deep center, he put the Reds on the board. Ten minutes later, he crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Then in the sixth, he lined a clutch RBI single. But that was not all.

Just when the Yankee fans were hoping for a comeback, Elly crushed a solo shot in the eighth, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs, and one unforgettable night for the Reds. It was the kind of performance that made people look not once but twice. And ESPN analyst Xavier Scruggs noticed and didn’t mince words. “He’s made for the moments. He’s made for the big-time, big-market moments. I like the fact that Cincinnati fans got to see Aaron Judge and Ely go at it together, and both of them do some big thing.” 

And while De La Cruz was busy putting on a show, the pinstriped team was unraveling big time. Sure, Judge did his job, but the rest of the offense flickered. The team went silent after the first inning and failed to generate any more offense. They have dropped eight of their last eleven games, and here is the kicker—it was not always against elite teams. Losses to the Angels and the Red Sox have stung hard.

But while they are clearly in a slump, the Cincinnati Reds are heating up. Monday’s win marked their fourth straight against the Yankees. And it has moved them to 41-38 on the season. Their bullpen, with Scott Barlow, Nick Martinez, Tony Santillan, and Emilio Pagán, all worked to shut the door and gave up just two hits over the final 4.2 innings. After this game, one thing is clear: under the bright lights, De La Cruz doesn’t just belong on the same field as Judge—he is ready to share the spotlight.

Aaron Judge lauds Elly De La Cruz as Reds humble Yankees

Elly De La Cruz has been on fire, even earning praise from Barry Larkin. He made sure to live up to those big claims about him being the next big thing on Monday night. In a game loaded with stars, he was the only one who shone bright. Even as the Yankees took a beating, one guy in pinstripes couldn’t help but tip his cap. Judge, who knows a thing or two about stardom, had nothing but praise for the Reds’ shortstop.

Judge mentioned, “He can do everything. He can hit, he can throw, he’s got the wheels, he’s got the power—we saw it tonight. He’s a total package. It’s fun to watch a guy like that in the middle of your lineup; just electric. You don’t want to see him come up with guys on base, or honestly, in any situation.” That is some high-level appreciation from one of baseball’s most respected names. The compliment didn’t come without Judge doing something major himself.

The Yankees slugger crushed his 28th home run of the season, and it was not just another homer. It was historic because it pushed Judge past Hank Aaron on the all-time list for most home runs through a player’s first 10 MLB seasons. Judge now sits at .343, inching very close to Alex Rodriguez, Griffey, and Pujols on that list. He’s also hitting .367 with 62 RBIs and an eye-watering 1.202 OPS. So MVP-level stuff, even if the Yankees are clearly in a rough patch.

The series will continue on Tuesday night, when Reds’ No. 1 prospect Chase Burns will make his Major League debut.