Cincinnati Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz never leaves a game before the final out, so his early exit during Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs is obviously concerning. De La Cruz was pulled prior to the Reds taking the field in the seventh inning, and was replaced by utility infielder Ivan Johnson. The team officially ruled De La Cruz out with tightness in his left quad.
De La Cruz struck during his final at-bat of the game — in the top of the seventh inning — though nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary when he returned to the dugout. Obviously Reds manager Terry Francona will receive numerous questions after the game, and will surely have some sort of answer for his superstar’s absence over the final few innings of Sunday’s series finale versus the Cubs.
De La Cruz was 2-for-4 with a run scored prior to his exit, and showed off his blazing speed while legging out an infield single in the top of the fifth inning. The Reds shortstop suffered a hamstring injury on a similar play earlier in the season and it cost him three weeks on the IL.
Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz exits game vs. Cubs with apparent injury
At this stage of the season, espeically considering where the Reds are in the NL Wild Card standings, Cincinnati has every reason to proceed with caution. Removing De La Cruz for the final few innings of Sunday’s game could help to keep him around for the final few weeks of the 2026 season.
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