The Cincinnati Reds took a step forward as an organization in 2025, returning to the MLB playoffs for the first time since 2020. Although Cincinnati was eliminated in two games by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the future remains bright, especially with shortstop Elly De La Cruz anchoring the lineup.

De La Cruz endured a disappointing second half of the season, but context matters. He was playing through a partially torn quadriceps muscle that clearly limited his explosiveness both at the plate and in the field. His production dipped noticeably, and the injury prevented him from building on the strong start he had earlier in the year. On the season, he finished with 22 home runs and struggled defensively, committing numerous errors down the stretch.

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There is reason to believe De La Cruz can bounce back in 2026. Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall addressed the situation, noting that De La Cruz had been working out since the season ended until just last week to head home for the holidays.

“One of the things that no one really knew until the end of the season was that he was dealing with a quad strain from the end of July until the end of the season. It affected him offensively. It affected him defensively. I think he stayed on 19 home runs for about eight weeks. He made 14 errors towards the end of the year,” Krall said on MLB Network.

“If you look at what he did at the beginning of the season, he was really good. And he’s making improvements, and he continues to make improvements. He was in Cincinnati this offseason until last week, and he went home for the holidays. He really wants to be a great player, and he drives himself. He prides himself in playing 162 games.”

Krall’s comments highlight both the challenges De La Cruz faced and the determination he continues to show. With a full offseason to recover and strengthen his body, the expectation is that he will return closer to the dynamic player who flashed superstar potential early in 2025.

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Before the All-Star break, De La Cruz posted a .284 batting average, a .359 on-base percentage, an .854 OPS, 18 home runs and 63 RBIs across 97 games. For the Reds, his health and consistency will be critical as they look to build on last year’s progress and push deeper into the postseason.