When Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz burst onto the scene a season in the past, his each transfer grew to become an immediate spotlight reel. He helped re-energize a fan base ravenous for a winner by displaying a uncommon mixture of energy and velocity whereas making Reds video games must-see TV within the course of.
In spite of everything, who else can lead the league in dash velocity, hit a ball 119.2 mph and throw it 97.9 mph throughout the infield?
However for all of the sizzle that got here with a debut season that vaulted the Reds into postseason rivalry, De La Cruz’s last numbers — a .235/.300/.410 slash line — did not fairly reside as much as the hype and his workforce completed two video games out of the Nationwide League’s last playoff spot.
“We had been one recreation away the ultimate weekend,” second baseman Jonathan India mentioned. “It stung us. We may have been the Diamondbacks. It sat with me all offseason. I hate dropping greater than I like successful.”
This 12 months, the main target in Cincinnati is about turning all of that flash into outcomes that may have the Reds enjoying postseason baseball for the primary time since 2020 — and it, after all, begins with their budding famous person.
“It positively obtained extra intense and energetic once we began successful,” outfielder Spencer Steer mentioned. “It began with Elly getting referred to as up and operating off 12 straight. It simply reveals that the city needs a successful baseball workforce. They deserve one. It has been some time.
After an offseason of arduous work, which included time spent honing his hitting with former main leaguer Fernando Tatis Sr., De La Cruz is offering star degree manufacturing for a workforce with the NL’s fifth-best document. Certain, he’ll nonetheless present up on SportsCenter’s High 10 a lot this season, however what has the Reds excited is his early exhibiting on the plate.
In 23 video games, De La Cruz has a .313/.412/.651 slash line that provides as much as the fourth-best OPS in MLB at 1.063. Maybe most encouraging is that he has managed to chop his strikeout charge and practically double his stroll charge whereas not sacrificing that game-changing mixture of energy and velocity — and all of this has come simply months after his twenty second birthday.
“Approach, means, means forward of in all probability 99 p.c of gamers his age which have had the expertise degree that he has,” Reds supervisor David Bell mentioned. “It is unbelievable what he is doing.
“He’ll be growing for years to come back and for him to deal with himself the way in which he does — with quite a lot of consideration — we could not be happier. And what he is doing every single day to get higher.”
As a substitute of attempting to alter De La Cruz’s strategy to hurry the method, the membership cited time and expertise as his main wants and inspired him to proceed being himself in his growth. They noticed a participant prepared to be taught and weren’t stunned when he linked with Tatis Sr. on his personal in a seek for some steering.
Tatis has labored with gamers prior to now, most notably reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., and it is his easy message that De La Cruz credit for his early manufacturing on the plate.
“Be in management,” De La Cruz mentioned. “Management your self. He gave me quite a lot of recommendation. I realized quite a bit from him.”
De La Cruz indicated he needs to make the strike zone “slightly smaller” for the opposing pitcher, and within the early going, he has diminished his strikeout-to-walk charge in half from his debut season.
“He is labored so arduous this spring,” second baseman Jonathan India mentioned. “He needs to be constant. He needs to be a famous person. He has that potential. All of us see that.”
However for the Reds to complete the season the place they need to, they know that it is about getting efficiency from the gamers round De La Cruz as effectively, one thing the group opened its wallets to handle this offseason whereas additionally leaning into the thrilling play of their younger core to promote veterans on coming to Cincinnati.
“The entire metropolis was on fireplace for this workforce. They play arduous. It is quick, bodily baseball. It was very evident town was falling in love with this workforce.” reliever Brent Suter mentioned. “I advised my spouse … this was already No.1 on my free agent listing and now it is by far No.1. It is a enjoyable workforce. It was very evident from the opposite facet, the bond saved getting stronger and stronger there.”
Conserving that shut knit feeling whereas integrating veteran additions begins with De La Cruz’s operating mate on the left facet of the infield. The most important splash of Cincinnati’s winter got here when Jeimer Candelario joined the Reds on a three-year, $45 million contract. The third baseman is a ready-made mentor in a younger clubhouse as a former high prospect who lastly got here into his personal the previous few seasons — and has made connecting with De La Cruz a precedence.
“He likes to pay attention,” Candelario mentioned. “He is a learner. It’s important to give him time. Taking part in each single day within the huge leagues goes to permit him to get higher.”
That blend of needing time to mature whereas additionally being counted on to carry out on the highest degree is a standard feeling in a Reds clubhouse that options three gamers who completed within the high seven of NL Rookie of the 12 months voting a season in the past — with Steer and Matt McLain becoming a member of De La Cruz.
“We’re not afraid to make errors,” Steer mentioned. “We will exit and play fearlessly.”
That mindset energized the franchise on the main league degree a 12 months in the past, fueled the entrance workplace throughout the offseason and if the participant who most embodies it — Elly De La Cruz — produces, may have the Reds enjoying into October.