WATCH: Reds’ Elly De La Cruz honors late sister after hitting home run vs. Cubs, a day after her death

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz not only played against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday after being informed about the death of his older sister, Genelis De La Cruz Sanchez, he also honored her memory both on his gear and with his play on the field. 

De La Cruz, who had “RIP” written on his cleats and hat, took a timeout before his first at-bat to gather himself. He then singled off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon. Later, in the sixth, De La Cruz launched his 12th home run of the season. He pointed to the sky and then made a heart gesture with his two hands as he crossed the plate. Take a look:

De La Cruz, 23, did not speak to the press before the game. Manager Terry Francona, however, told reporters that De La Cruz insisted on playing on Sunday. “We just told him we will support whatever he needs to do,” Francona said. “He wants to play today and then we’ll go from there.”

As noted by Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, media reports in the Dominican Republic stated that Genelis had passed away after a prolonged battle with unspecified health problems.

Major League Baseball’s Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that players are allowed to be placed on the bereavement list for a minimum of three days and a maximum period of a week. It’s unclear at this stage if De La Cruz will be assigned that designation. 

De La Cruz entered Sunday hitting .252/.324/.439 (104 OPS+) with 11 home runs, 40 runs batted in, and 17 stolen bases on 22 attempts. Last year, he finished eighth in National League Most VAluable Player Award voting after recording 25 home runs and 67 stolen bases.

The Reds lost Sunday’s game 7-3 to the Cubs (box score).