Reds Star Elly De La Cruz Makes Decision on World Baseball Classic

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Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) rounds second on his way to score on a Tyler Stephenson double in the seventh inning of the MLB National League Wild Card Game 1 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. The Dodgers won game 1 of the series, 10-5. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz is planning to represent Team Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, according to Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols.

This will be the first time De La Cruz has played in the WBC. The 23-year-old is coming off a season where he played in all 162 games, slashing .264/.336/.440 with 60 extra-base hits and 67 stolen bases. After the season, Reds President of Baseball Operations revealed De La Cruz played through a partially torn quad in the second half of the season and he's been rehabbing that injury in Cincinnati over the offseason.

The World Baseball Classic is an international professional baseball tournament between 20 national baseball teams and the 2026 event will kick off on Tuesday, March 5 and go until Tuesday, March 17.

16 teams qualified for the event by placing in the top four of their respective pools in the 2023 tournament. Four additional teams qualified through the 2026 WBC qualifying tournament.

Japan is the defending champion of the event. They beat the United States 3-2 in the final in 2023 at loanDepot Park.

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