Elly De La Cruz Makes Reds History Again in Series Finale vs. Braves

Elly De La Cruz is putting together the best season of his young career in 2026. He's currently sitting on career bests in batting average, home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, walks, and OPS. On Thursday, when the Cincinnati Reds took on the Atlanta Braves, the 24-year-old hit his 30th home run of the season and his ninth home run in September. That gives him the most home runs in a calendar month from a switch-hitter in Reds franchise history.

He Is Playing At An MVP Caliber Level

In September, De La Cruz is slashing .377/.461/.792, that's a 1.253 OPS. Over his last 30 games, he has 10 home runs, 20 RBI and is slashing .391/.466/.739. On defense, he's made spectacular play after spectacular play and has cut down on his errors; he has 11 fewer errors than he did a year ago. With three games left to play, he just needs one stolen base to earn a 30/30 season; he will become just the second shortstop in franchise history to do so. Hall of Famer Barry Larkin did it 30 years ago in 1996, and the most recent player in Reds' history was Brandon Phillips back in 2007. De La Cruz's inspiration for wearing number 44, Eric Davis, was the first player in Reds history to have a 30/30 season in 1987.

This offseason will be his first time going through the arbitration process. With his play this season, he will see a significant pay increase, and he has earned it. The Reds reportedly offered him a contract extension in 2025 to make him the highest-paid player in franchise history, but it was turned down. No financial details were ever revealed from that offer.

“We engaged in Spring Training of 2025 and presented an offer,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall told MLB.com. “The offer would have been the largest contract in Reds history. We didn’t have any further conversations regarding the offer.”

The Reds have three games left in the season. They travel north of the border to Toronto to face the Blue Jays to close out a severely disappointing season.

What To Watch For In Final Series Of 2026

Sep 14, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) points to the sky as he walks onto the field before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There hasn't been a lot of positives this season for the Reds. De La Cruz has been one of the best storylines of late, but there are some things to watch for in the last three games. Sal Stewart is just three RBI behind the leader and is tied for second. He could be just the third rookie in Major League history to lead the league in that category if he does so in this series.

Something else to watch is how the rookies play out the last three games. Juan Brito, Carlos Jorge, and Hector Rodriguez have all had their struggles, but they are auditioning for a long-term role in 2027 and beyond. Brito has played exceptionally well since joining the team from Cleveland at the trade deadline. Jorge set a team record for the most putouts in the outfield in a nine-inning game with 11 on Thursday, and Rodriguez has had some clutch moments offensively in his limited time.

The Reds are in last place in the division. The team hasn't had a 90-win season since 2013, also the last time they won the division. The Reds avoided finishing in last place in their division from 1984 through 2014. Since 2014, the Reds have finished in last place in the division five times.

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