The second half of Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz’s 2025 season didn’t go the way he or the team would’ve wanted on an individual level.De La Cruz finished the 2025 season hitting .264 with 25 home runs and a .777 OPS, numbers that were dragged down by a .236 average and only four home runs after the All-Star break.Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall revealed after the season that De La Cruz played through a partially torn quad for much of the second half, which impacted his performance.Already a two-time All-Star as he enters his age-24 season, De La Cruz has healed from that injury and is also 15 pounds heavier than 2025, adding strength to an already impressive frame.Staff members with the Reds said De La Cruz was constantly around the facility through the end of 2025, doing rehab on his quad and adding strength. Coming off his first career postseason appearance with the Reds, De La Cruz is confident Cincinnati can take the next step in 2026.“It doesn’t matter who it is, we just got to do it,” De La Cruz said. “We just got to compete and take the game to the next level.”De La Cruz will have some more protection in the Reds’ lineup this season, with the addition of slugging designated hitter Eugenio Suarez, who returns to Cincinnati after seven seasons with the Reds earlier in his career.“It will help,” De La Cruz said. “He will protect me more and we can do some damage together.”

GOODYEAR, Ariz. —

The second half of Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz’s 2025 season didn’t go the way he or the team would’ve wanted on an individual level.

De La Cruz finished the 2025 season hitting .264 with 25 home runs and a .777 OPS, numbers that were dragged down by a .236 average and only four home runs after the All-Star break.

Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall revealed after the season that De La Cruz played through a partially torn quad for much of the second half, which impacted his performance.

Already a two-time All-Star as he enters his age-24 season, De La Cruz has healed from that injury and is also 15 pounds heavier than 2025, adding strength to an already impressive frame.

Staff members with the Reds said De La Cruz was constantly around the facility through the end of 2025, doing rehab on his quad and adding strength.

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Reds first Saturday in Goodyear

At first glance, Elly De La Cruz got after it this offseason. Noticeably stronger up top.

Reds staffers watched the All-Star SS essentially pull two-a-days at GABP after the season up until the new year. Quad rehab & workouts. Locked in. pic.twitter.com/yHyGqFxrA9

— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) February 14, 2026

Coming off his first career postseason appearance with the Reds, De La Cruz is confident Cincinnati can take the next step in 2026.

“It doesn’t matter who it is, we just got to do it,” De La Cruz said. “We just got to compete and take the game to the next level.”

De La Cruz will have some more protection in the Reds’ lineup this season, with the addition of slugging designated hitter Eugenio Suarez, who returns to Cincinnati after seven seasons with the Reds earlier in his career.

“It will help,” De La Cruz said. “He will protect me more and we can do some damage together.”