3 days ago
Cincinnati Reds star Christian Encarnacion-Strand becomes first MLB player with hits before and after rain delay
On Friday, 2025, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Christian Encarnacion-Strand made a strong return to the Cincinnati Reds lineup. After being out for nearly two months due to injury, the 25-year-old player came back with a performance that no one else in Major League Baseball (MLB) has matched this season.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
What he did across two days left fans and teammates amazed.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand hits walk-off after rain delay in Reds comeback win
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, also called CES, returned to the Major League roster on Friday night for the start of the Reds' series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The game began on June 7, but rain forced a pause after the sixth inning. Before that delay, CES had already made a big impact. He hit a single in the fourth inning, and later in the sixth, he smashed a game-tying solo home run.
The game was continued on Saturday afternoon, June 8, and that's when CES made more history. In the bottom of the ninth inning, he hit a walk-off double to center field, giving the Reds a 4-3 win. According to Local 12 WKRC, no other MLB player this season has done what CES did — getting a hit before a rain delay and then hitting a walk-off hit when the same game resumed the next day.
Also Read:
Christian Encarnacion-Strand shines in first game back after injury setback
Christian Encarnacion-Strand had a rough start earlier this year.
In his first 15 games of the 2025 season, he hit just .158 with only 2 home runs. On April 17, he was placed on the 15-day injured list due to back inflammation. After a long recovery, he began a rehab assignment on May 22 with the ACL Reds, and then played 10 games in Triple-A Louisville, where he hit .324 with two home runs, five doubles, and seven RBIs.
His strong return drew praise. After the win, Reds manager David Bell told reporters, 'That's a special way to come back. He stayed patient, worked hard, and gave us a big win.' CES himself also spoke after the game, saying, 'It feels great to be back. I just wanted to help the team win.'
