How Elly De La Cruz and the Reds plan to contend this season

When Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz burst onto the scene a season in the past, his each transfer turned an on the spot spotlight reel. He helped re-energize a fan base ravenous for a winner by displaying a uncommon mixture of energy and pace whereas making Reds video games must-see TV in the course of.

After all, who else can lead the league in dash pace, hit a ball 119.2 mph and throw it 97.9 mph throughout the infield?

But for all the sizzle that got here with a debut season that vaulted the Reds into postseason competition, De La Cruz’s last numbers — a .235/.300/.410 slash line — did not fairly reside up to the hype and his staff completed two video games out of the National League’s last playoff spot.

“We were one game away the final weekend,” second baseman Jonathan India mentioned. “It stung us. We could have been the Diamondbacks. It sat with me all offseason. I hate losing more than I like winning.”

This yr, the focus in Cincinnati is about turning all of that flash into outcomes that can have the Reds enjoying postseason baseball for the first time since 2020 — and it, after all, begins with their budding famous person.

“It definitely got more intense and lively when we started winning,” outfielder Spencer Steer mentioned. “It all started with Elly getting called up and running off 12 straight. It just shows that the town wants a winning baseball team. They deserve one. It’s been a while.

After an offseason of hard work, which included time spent honing his hitting with former major leaguer Fernando Tatis Sr., De La Cruz is providing star level production for a team with the NL’s fifth-best record. Sure, he’ll still show up on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plenty this season, but what has the Reds excited is his early showing at the plate.

In 23 games, De La Cruz has a .313/.412/.651 slash line that adds up to the fourth-best OPS in MLB at 1.063. Perhaps most encouraging is that he has managed to cut his strikeout rate and nearly double his walk rate while not sacrificing that game-changing combination of power and speed — and all of this has come just months after his 22nd birthday.

“Way, manner, manner forward of most likely 99 % of gamers his age which have had the expertise stage that he has,” Reds manager David Bell said. “It’s unbelievable what he is doing.

“He’s going to be developing for years to come and for him to handle himself the way he does — with a lot of attention — we couldn’t be happier. And what he’s doing every day to get better.”

Instead of making an attempt to change De La Cruz’s method to rush the course of, the membership cited time and expertise as his main wants and inspired him to proceed being himself in his growth. They noticed a participant keen to be taught and weren’t shocked when he linked with Tatis Sr. on his personal in a seek for some steerage.

Tatis has labored with gamers in the previous, most notably reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., and it is his easy message that De La Cruz credit for his early manufacturing at the plate.

“Be in control,” De La Cruz mentioned. “Control yourself. He gave me a lot of advice. I learned a lot from him.”

De La Cruz indicated he desires to make the strike zone “a little smaller” for the opposing pitcher, and in the early going, he has decreased his strikeout-to-walk price in half from his debut season.

“He’s worked so hard this spring,” second baseman Jonathan India mentioned. “He wants to be consistent. He wants to be a superstar. He has that ability. We all see that.”

But for the Reds to end the season the place they need to, they know that it is about getting efficiency from the gamers round De La Cruz as nicely, one thing the group opened its wallets to tackle this offseason whereas additionally leaning into the thrilling play of their younger core to promote veterans on coming to Cincinnati.

“The whole city was on fire for this team. They play hard. It’s fast, physical baseball. It was very evident the city was falling in love with this team.” reliever Brent Suter mentioned. “I told my wife … this was already No.1 on my free agent list and now it’s by far No.1. This is a fun team. It was very evident from the other side, the bond kept getting stronger and stronger there.”

Keeping that shut knit feeling whereas integrating veteran additions begins with De La Cruz’s operating mate on the left aspect of the infield. The greatest 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 listen,” Candelario mentioned. “He’s a learner. You have to give him time. Playing every single day in the big leagues is going to allow him to get better.”

That mixture of needing time to mature whereas additionally being counted on to carry out at the highest stage is a typical feeling in a Reds clubhouse that options three gamers who completed in the high seven of NL Rookie of the Year voting a season in the past — with Steer and Matt McLain becoming a member of De La Cruz.

“We’re not afraid to make mistakes,” Steer mentioned. “We’re going to go out and play fearlessly.”

That mindset energized the franchise at the main league stage a yr 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.