'This is my last chance': De La Cruz HRs vs. former org Astros

HOUSTON -- Bryan De La Cruz finally made it to Minute Maid Park, a stadium he once thought would be his home ballpark.

The series against the Astros was the first time the 25-year-old faced his former organization since the 2021 trade that made him a Marlin. It was not the triumphant return the outfielder was hoping for, going 1-for-7 with one RBI in the first two games of the series, but he broke through Sunday with a three-run homer.

De La Cruz’s three-run blast in the seventh inning was not enough, though, in the 9-4 loss to the Astros in the series finale.

“They were attacking me a lot with the fastball yesterday,” De La Cruz said via an interpreter. “They were doing the same plan today. I don’t know if they thought I wasn’t going to be able to hit the fastball. I missed a couple of times, but thankfully, I was able to put solid contact on the third one.”

De La Cruz spent the first seven and a half seasons of his professional baseball career with the Astros’ organization. He showcased his value to the Marlins before the trade, hitting .324 with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs over 66 games with Triple-A Sugar Land in 2021. Miami traded for the outfielder in a deal that sent relief pitcher Yimi Garcia to Houston.

De La Cruz did not have to wait for his chance to crack the Major Leagues with the Marlins, as he was added to the active roster immediately after the trade. His ability to hit in the Minors quickly translated, hitting .296 with five homers, 19 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 58 games in the 2021 season.

De La Cruz proved to the Marlins he could potentially be a long-term asset for them, and he has continued to prove that this season, slashing .230/.291/.330 with 12 RBIs in 43 games through Sunday.

“You don’t often see guys have success quickly,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said on Friday. “He had it pretty quick, and he’s sustained it. What he’s been able to do is just a testament to him being prepared and ready to go and how he works.”

Sunday was the final chance for De La Cruz to make an impact in his first series against his former organization, but the task did not look easy, as he was facing eight-time All-Star Justin Verlander.

The challenge did not trouble De La Cruz as he crushed the ball all day, hitting a ball with an exit velocity of 106.6 mph that Jose Siri caught on the warning track in the fifth inning. The ball would have been a home run in 18 other ballparks.

De La Cruz left no doubt in his third and final at-bat, belting a three-run blast to left field that went 412 feet and had an exit velocity of 107.9 mph.

“It felt sweet,” De La Cruz said. “I was waiting for that last at-bat, and it was crossing all over my mind that this is my last chance. I want to help the team win a game, and that’s what I want to do -- go out there and give it all I got.”

De La Cruz’s blast came after the early struggles of starter Edward Cabrera, who surrendered a season-high five runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. The homer seemed to spark a late comeback, but the Astros came storming back with Jose Altuve’s three-run shot in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.

The Marlins fell short of sweeping the Astros despite De La Cruz’s effort, ending their five-game win streak. But they feel it has prepared them for what’s to come.

“We’re in a situation where we got a tough stretch of games, and they’re all tough with these guys -- Phillies and Mets,” Mattingly said. “It never really stops. It’s getting to that point in the season that you’ve got to start thinking about winning a series continuously and get down the road.”