After suffering a slight strain to his left quad, Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz was in the designated hitter spot for the entire series against the San Diego Padres.
“He has done a really good job,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “(On Tuesday, Sept. 1), he (ran) first to third. He kept his head up, knew where the ball was. He had a pretty good governor. He knew where he was going. He handled it pretty good.”
The Reds have been keeping an eye on De La Cruz, and he doesn’t always have to run at his very top speed as a way to protect his quad.
“(The doctor) thinks Elly can play through this with the caveat that if it gets worse, he’s got to let us know,” Francona said. “He has promised he’ll do that.”
De La Cruz was pulled from the game last Sunday against the Chicago Cubs. “Me and Freddie (Benavides) kind of double-teamed him about coming out,” Francona said.
De La Cruz likes to play every single inning. Francona called that a “throwback” quality, and it’s one that the Reds appreciate.
De La Cruz’s toughness is a reason why his ceiling is so high.
Last week in Chicago, former Reds first baseman Joey Votto was on the broadcast call for NBC. Before the game, Votto shared a message with De La Cruz. Votto then relayed that conversation during the game broadcast.
“I want you to watch (Pete Crow-Armstrong) today,” Votto told De La Cruz. “When PCA gets these MVP chants, that’s going to be Elly De La Cruz in 2027. And I think he’s motivated. … He has every single tool identical to PCA. He has not tapped into his full potential. His full potential is best player in baseball.”
That message was appreciated by De La Cruz.
“It meant a lot,” De La Cruz said after the game. “He knows the game. He played the game. He was a great hitter. Great player. It means a lot.”
De La Cruz played with Votto in 2023, which was Votto’s final year in the big leagues. De La Cruz learned a lot from him.
“Play the game the right way,” De La Cruz said. “Show up for the guys every single day.”
The next step to get to that MVP level, De La Cruz says, “is being consistent: “That’s what you’ve got to do,” he said.
The fact that De La Cruz was on the injured list for three weeks in June will hamper his end of season stats this year. But on a rate basis, he has had a very strong campaign.
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McCoy: De La Cruz, Stewart come through again as Reds edge Padres
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McCoy: Reds blanked by Padres 5-0 despite early chances
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Ask Hal: Will Hunter Greene or Nick Lodolo go to the bullpen?
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McCoy: Stewart, Burns lead Reds to 7-5 win, take series in Chicago
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McCoy: Cubs turn Wrigley Field into a launching pad, hammer Reds 17-5
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McCoy: Reds’ miracle comeback changes nothing about September
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Cincinnati Reds: Infield shuffles with latest set of roster moves
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Cincinnati Reds: Bench looks thinner after Michael Toglia injury
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Cincinnati Reds: Tony Santillan and Luis Mey are bolstering the Reds’ bullpen
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Cincinnati Reds: Burns, Abbott gearing up to lead rotation down the stretch
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McCoy: De La Cruz, Stewart come through again as Reds edge Padres
McCoy: Reds blanked by Padres 5-0 despite early chances
Ask Hal: Will Hunter Greene or Nick Lodolo go to the bullpen?
McCoy: Stewart, Burns lead Reds to 7-5 win, take series in Chicago
McCoy: Cubs turn Wrigley Field into a launching pad, hammer Reds 17-5
McCoy: Reds’ miracle comeback changes nothing about September
Cincinnati Reds: Infield shuffles with latest set of roster moves
Cincinnati Reds: Bench looks thinner after Michael Toglia injury
Cincinnati Reds: Tony Santillan and Luis Mey are bolstering the Reds’ bullpen
Cincinnati Reds: Burns, Abbott gearing up to lead rotation down the stretch
De La Cruz’s leap against left-handed pitching has been incredible, and he has gone from a bad hitter versus lefties to one of the better ones in MLB.
He’s continuing to grow defensively, and he has done a good job of cutting down on his errors. His arm is more more reliable than it has been in the past.
He’s also getting thrown out on the bases less often.
De La Cruz is still just 24 years old. He’s delivering another standout season, and a recent slight quad strain hasn’t gotten in his way.