Elly De La Cruz Is Nearly Ready to Return — and the Reds Desperately Need Him

There’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel for Cincinnati Reds fans. Elly De La Cruz, the electrifying infielder who’s been sidelined with a hamstring strain since late May, is closing in on a return. According to the team’s latest injury report, De La Cruz ran the bases, took grounders, and swung in batting practice on June 15 — and could begin a rehab assignment as soon as June 19.

That timeline suggests the Reds might have their star back in the lineup within a week or two. And frankly, they can’t afford to wait much longer.

Without De La Cruz, Cincinnati has tumbled to the bottom of the National League Central. The club sits at 34-37, having dropped seven of its last 10 games. The offense has looked listless, the energy has dipped, and the standings reflect a team that’s missing its heartbeat.

De La Cruz was having a strong season before the injury. Through May 31 — when he last played, against the Atlanta Braves — he was hitting .280 with 12 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. He’s the kind of player who changes a game the moment he steps on the field, blending raw power with elite speed and a knack for making something out of nothing on the basepaths.

Cincinnati manager Terry Francona made it clear how much the team values De La Cruz — and how hard it’s been to hold him back.

“We’ve talked with him several times because the one thing I don’t want him to ever feel is one, that we’re not listening to him, and two, that we don’t want him to play,” Francona said. “We’re dying for him to play. I just don’t think you can do what’s right [only] when it’s convenient.”

Francona added that De La Cruz is desperate to be out there, and that the feeling is mutual. “He really just wants to play,” the manager said.

De La Cruz seems to share that urgency. “I’m getting close,” he told MLB.com, offering a short but promising update on his recovery.

But De La Cruz’s absence isn’t the only reason the Reds are scuffling. The pitching staff has been decimated, too. Starter Hunter Greene has missed the entire season with elbow issues, though he’s now scheduled to begin a rehab assignment of his own on June 18 with the team’s ACL affiliate, tossing three innings. Reliever Emilio Pagan is also on the injured list, leaving the bullpen thinner than Cincinnati would like.

When you lose your most dynamic position player and your projected ace before the season even really starts, survival mode becomes the default. The Reds have managed to stay afloat in stretches, but the cumulative weight of those absences has started to show.

Cincinnati plays the New York Mets on Tuesday, and while De La Cruz won’t be in the lineup that night, the hope is that he won’t be far off. For a team fighting to climb out of the division basement, every day without their star is another day closer to the season slipping away.