All Eyes Are on Elly De La Cruz As He Returns to the Reds

On May 31st, the Cincinnati Reds sat just outside of a National League wild card spot, and were in the middle of an NL Central division race at 30-28. Then, in a game against the Atlanta Braves that day, star shortstop Elly De La Cruz blasted a fastball from Spencer Strider into the right-center field gap, but rounded first base with a limp.

The 24-year-old was subsequently removed from the game and diagnosed with a right hamstring strain, before officially landing on the injured list the following day.

In the time until De La Cruz returned (on June 23), the Reds fell to four games under .500, and 11.5 games back of the division lead. Now, they sit 5.5 games out of the wild-card race, and are fighting to keep their season afloat.

While the odds aren’t exactly in their favor, the Reds are a different team with De La Cruz leading their offense. His bat will be invaluable for the squad, especially as they aim to work their way back into the playoff race.

Here’s why Cincinnati’s offense struggled without his bat, and why all eyes will be on Elly De La Cruz in the weeks following his return from injury.

All stats updated prior to games on Friday, June 26

Reds’ Offensive Woes

One of the biggest reasons for the Reds’ recent skid, which has resulted in a 7-14 record, has been the offense.

This season, only six hitters with at least 100 plate appearances (including De La Cruz) have posted an 100 wRC+ or higher, with the highest mark being JJ Bleday’s 133 wRC+. Of the seven other players to see that many plate appearances, six have been at least 20% below league average with their bat.

When the sample size is raised to 200 plate appearances, only four Reds hitters (including De La Cruz) have managed an 100 wRC+ or higher this season.

From June 1 to June 23, the span in which De La Cruz was on the injured list, the Reds had four hitters who maintained an average to above-average performance (100 wRC+ or higher): Dane Myers, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, and Will Benson.

Benson was optioned earlier this week to clear roster space for De La Cruz’s return, and McLain & Marte have both been below-average hitters for the majority of the season.

The only overlap between Reds hitters who have been average or better in the month of June and on the season in general is Myers. With minimal contribution from Nathaniel Lowe, Bleday, Spencer Steer, and Sal Stewart, who have all been dormant over the past three weeks, the Reds have had one of the worst offenses in all of major league baseball this June.

By team OPS (.666), Cincinnati ranks as the fifth lowest in MLB this month. By batting average (.213), they rank dead last. They’ve scored just 75 runs (third fewest), struck out 206 times (fourth most), and have ranked in the bottom 15 in each extra base hit category.

It’s safe to say the Reds offense has been disastrous without Elly De La Cruz.

Where Elly Comes In

De La Cruz has long been regarded as a perennial talent, capable of slugging some of the highest exit velocities ever recorded. In his 266 plate appearances to date in 2026, he’s shown what he’s capable of with that tool and why it’s so imperative to the Reds’ success.

So far this season, the switch-hitter has managed a 94.4 average exit velocity, which ranks in the 99th percentile. He’s paired it with a 90th percentile barrel rate (14.6%)–leading to a .363 xwOBA, 12 homers, and an .844 OPS–which makes noise in the Cincinnati lineup.

The Reds have also missed De La Cruz’s abilities with runners on base, as he’s owned an .847 OPS in 50 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Even after missing over three weeks of play, he still ranks second on his squad with 37 RBI.

A struggling pitching staff will also be aided by De La Cruz’s return, given his exceptional abilities in the field. With a highly impressive range and 90th percentile arm strength, he’s been worth 6 OAA at the shortstop position.

Impressive abilities on both sides of the ball have helped De La Cruz maintain his standing as the team’s most valuable position player with 2.5 fWAR (trailed by Stewart’s 1.3). His absence, albeit short-lived, has been greatly missed at Great American Ballpark and in the Reds clubhouse.

Whether the Reds are able to claw their way back into a tight National League playoff race will largely depend on how De La Cruz performs in the coming weeks. All eyes will be turned his way, hoping to see if he can continue playing like the superstar the Reds need him to be.