In a year of high expectations, the Cincinnati Reds fell well short of their goals. Finishing last in the NL Central and 13 games from a wild-card spot, it was a lost season in Cincinnati. After a promising start to…
The Lead argues that Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz achieved superstar status during the 2026 MLB season despite his team's last-place NL Central finish. The 24-year-old switch-hitter set career highs across the board with a .283/.365/.515 slash line and became just the fourth player in Reds franchise history to record a 30-home-run, 30-stolen-base season.
De La Cruz earned his first NL Player of the Month award in September and significantly improved against left-handed pitching, batting .325 with a .990 OPS from the right side. The writer notes he is nominated for the Hank Aaron Award and is in strong contention for both the Silver Slugger Award and the 2026 All-MLB team.
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