Elly is getting the star treatment, but he hasn’t earned it yet. Is Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz already getting the “star treatment” after just being in the majors for two years? It sure seems like it. De La Cruz’s start to the 2025 season has been dismal, to say the least, and no one seemed to be discussing it.
De La Cruz is batting.244/.321/.384, with six home runs, 29 RBI, and 14 stolen bases. Those aren’t really horrible figures, but they’re not what one would expect from the team’s best player. His statistics for the month of May were significantly worse. De la Cruz has a.
The slash line was 140/.245/.233, with 17 strikeouts and only two extra base hits. Cincinnati is 4-7 this month, and De La Cruz is a major reason why. Pirates Fire Derek Shelton + the AL Central Gets a Pope While it’s unfair to talk about the terrible without mentioning the good — he did hit a home run in the Reds’ 13-9 victory on Saturday — there has been very little positive for De La Cruz since the calendar turned to May. Six of the Reds’ seven losses this month have come with four or less runs scored. De La Cruz has a total 3-for-29 (.103) in the six games.
The Reds’ star, Elly De La Cruz, has been sheltered from well-deserved criticism.
De La Cruz is an incredible talent. However, he is not immune to criticism. Despite an on-base percentage (.321) that trails the likes of Santiago Espinal and Gavin Lux, as well as a slugging percentage (.384) that is lower than that of Austin Hays, Tyler Stephenson, and even TJ Friedl, manager Terry Francona has chosen to slot De La Cruz into the Reds’ batting order at No. 3. Stepping away from the batter’s box reveals that De La Cruz’s defense has also been subpar. Though he can make incredible, circus-like plays that appear on highlight reels, ordinary grounders chew him up, and his throws to first base are far too often off-line. d (DRS). After being charged with a league-high 29
mistakes in 2024, De La Cruz leads MLB with nine errors this season. For those who rely on advanced stats, De La Cruz is worth -3 outs above average (OAA) and -1 defensive runs saved. None of this implies that De La Cruz will not break out of his slump on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox. In fact, when the White Sox visit Great American Ball Park this week for three games, they could be the ideal team to tee off against. But it’s past time for Reds fans (and the media) to give De La Cruz the harsh censure that his terrible play deserves. The Reds’ offensive as a whole has been dismal, but De La Cruz has been one of the team’s worst offenders. There’s every reason to hope that De La Cruz can be the superstar who propels Cincinnati back to the postseason, but it feels like a pipe dream right now.
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