Saturday’s scare with Elly De La Cruz was more than a blip. Be smart and hydrate!
Saturday’s St. Louis Cardinals game at Busch Stadium gave us more than just extra innings—it gave us a sobering reminder of how brutal summer baseball can be. In the bottom of the fourth, Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz vomited on the field amid sweltering 92-degree heat, with the index pushing well into the triple digits. He stayed in the game and even homered later, but the message was clear: extreme heat doesn’t care how elite your conditioning is.
I mentioned this briefly in my post earlier on Monday, but I am repeating it now as its own post because I truly meant it. As fans, we love the grind of summer baseball. But it’s worth remembering that the same heat affecting players is hitting us in the stands too. Hydrate early and often. Take advantage of shaded areas and cooling stations. Know the signs of heat exhaustion—and don’t try to tough it out. Keep an eye out for heavy sweating, goosebumps (even in the heat), dizziness or fainting, fatigue, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, headache, rapid pulse, or low blood pressure, among other things.
If a 23-year-old All-Star can get knocked sideways by the heat, the rest of us should take the hint. Major League Baseball, too, would be wise to keep a closer eye on the mounting risks extreme heat poses to fans and players alike. Dehydration, heat illness, and compromised performance are not just side effects — they are potentially lethal safety concerns. Listen to your body, wear your sunscreen, and keep hydrated. Have fun and stay safe out there, Birdos!