Reds Beat: Reds Look To Freshly-Minted All-Star Elly De La Cruz To Keep Playing Like A Kid As Reds Struggle

CINCINNATI — The dog days have hit the Reds early this year.

Fresh from a three-game sweep of the powerful Yankees in New York, the Reds hit a brick wall over the weekend in the start of what was expected to be a tone-setting 10-game homestand and a springboard to a hopeful second half of the season.

They were swept by a Tigers team that hadn’t won back-to-back games in a month and had just one series win in the last five weeks.

Instead of a continuation of the feel-good vibes from a 5-2 swing through St. Louis and New York, the Reds clubhouse felt like a chapel after a 5-1 loss Sunday to the Tigers. The only real bright spot – of course – centered around 22-year-old Elly De La Cruz being selected to his first MLB All-Star Game July 16 in Texas.

He’s got all the numbers – 15 homers, 39 RBIs and 45 steals. But more importantly, he brings energy to the club every day. Monday, on the one year anniversary of swiping second, third and home against Milwaukee, he nearly did it again in the first inning after a walk.

He caught the Rockies flat-footed and easily stole second. He got a huge jump and stole third when Jeimer Candelario fanned for the second out. And after a Spencer Steer walk, he broke for home on a double steal attempt. But second baseman Brendan Rodgers cut the ball off and threw back home and Elly couldn’t get his left hand on home plate and was out to end the inning.

But there was at least energy in the inning. That’s what the Reds have been missing since coming home from New York. That, timely hitting, bullpen execution and clean fielding.

“I would say that the young fans, I don’t care what age you are, to recognize what Elly does and to be a fan of Elly, you pick the right guy,” Reds skipper David Bell said after it was announced that De La Cruz was named to the National League All-Star team. “I mean, not only what he what he’s capable of doing on the field, but I’ve just been just impressed with how he handles himself. And so from that standpoint, I think it’s great.

“And obviously I care about the game and so we have other guys that fall into that category that would represent our team and organization well at the All-Star Game. As a starting point for this year, Elly’s gonna be a great representative for us and for anyone that follows him and is a fan of who he is.”

The thing about Elly that goes beyond his otherworldly skills is his mix of calm and joy for the game.

“It’s the energy and the good energy that you bring out there,” De La Cruz told me. “It could change the game, no matter what it is, the outcome can change immediately. For example, just the way that I act out there on the field could change a game at any moment. So it’s a way that I play. It’s a way that I know how to play so it is important.”

The 2024 Reds are what they are at this point, a team trying to stay relevant and fight to get to .500, something that looked realistic heading into the homestand but not so much after dropping three to the sub-.500 Tigers at GABP. This very well may not be their year. They just might be a year away and that realization can sap a team of its collective juice.

With De La Cruz, there’s a chance that he might be able to keep everyone on their toes just long enough.

“He always does, man. Doesn’t matter what the score says,” Santiago Espinal told me. “Doesn’t matter what inning it is. Before games, during games, after games, he always brings the fun. That’s who he is. He is always smiling. He always enjoying the game and he’s living his dream every day. We all do. We’re all living our dream every day. We all got to put a smile onto anybody’s face, knowing we’re here and we just got to keep doing it.”

The general consensus is that this is the first of many All-Star selections. The Reds would love for all of them to be representing Cincinnati. And they wouldn’t mind those selections highlighting a team that is a perennial contender in the National League.

“I saw it coming. I could tell he was going to be an All-Star,” Espinal said. “He’s going to be multiple-time All-Star. I feel like this year he’s also going to get a Gold Glove, too. He’s amazing on both sides of the field, hitting and fielding and I think for Elly, the way he’s controlling it and man he just a little kid. He comes every day and plays around with us, plays around in the dugout. Every time we play together in the infield, we make fun of each other. We talk about crazy stuff, man.

“We just like trying to make his stuff like trying to make ourselves laugh. Not everything is just baseball, baseball. Players get out there and put a smile on. He does that, bro. He goes out every day. Not just with me, but he does it with everybody here in the clubhouse. And, everybody here is like a brother to him. And the energy that he brings every day. That’s another thing. But the way that he’s been dealing with his fame, and other stuff. It’s been amazing man. It doesn’t look like just like a superstar you know, every time comes in, he’s just a little kid.”

The beauty of De La Cruz, as anyone close to the team will confirm, is that he is open to learning every day he puts on a uniform, and every day he plays, which so far in 2024 is all 91 after Monday’s game against Colorado.

“I don’t see anything changing,” Bell said. “I think he’s very stable. sure of himself, as far as like, who he is as a person and he knows what drives him. He knows what’s important to him and like not that it’s all about coaching or anything like that, but he is one of those guys like if you have something that can be helpful to him and and he he look him in the eye help you say at one time and you don’t really say it again and he uses it and figures out how he can apply it.”

NOTES:

Graham Ashcraft:

After giving up six hits and a run over 4 2/3 innings Sunday in the loss to the Tigers, Graham Ashcraft was optioned to Triple-A Louisville was to make room for Nick Lodolo, who returns from a blister on his left hand and starts Tuesday. It’s the second time in five weeks, Ashcraft has been sent down. Ashcraft’s demotion also means that Spiers will stay in the rotation and starts Thursday series finale against Colorado.

“He’s in an organization that cares a lot about him,” Bell said of Ashcraft. “And the real point is to be in the big leagues for a long time and help us win for a long time. So we can see that and Graham’s going to be able to see that, I believe. He may not today, but he will. I have a lot of confidence in Graham. I want him to get back here and stay here.”

Noelvi Marte:

After committing five errors in his first 10 games back from suspension, Marte received a break from 3B duties Monday and was the starting DH, batting seventh.

Stuart Fairchild (spinal disk issue):

Bell said Fairchild stint on the 10-IL doesn’t figure to be long-term. “Pretty stiff but get it taken care of really quick… should be just the 10 (days).”

OF Austin Slater:

The 31-year-old veteran outfielder was acquired Sunday night in a trade with the Giants that sent lefty Alex Young . He is expected in Cincinnati Tuesday. “He’s going to fit right in… and is a great guy.”

OF Rece Hinds makes MLB debut:

“Power, obviously a good outfielder and really strong arm.” Bell on Rece Hinds promoted Monday and making his MLB debut. “He’s going to get play. In the lineup tonight.” Hinds made a sliding catch in the fifth inning and collected his first MLB hit on a hustle double in the bottom of the inning.