Reds Early Season Awards: Who’s Shining and Who’s Surprising

If you had asked Reds fans on Opening Day if they would take this team being 20-11 and atop the National League Central on May 1st, most of them probably would have signed up for that. Considering this club came into the season with Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo both on the injured list, along with this club's other questions about their pitching and lineup's ability to score runs, the fact that this team is in first place and it feels like they haven't played their best baseball is sending good vibes throughout Reds Country.

This team battles every single night. They had some frustrating losses in April, including two straight losses at home to the Pirates and to the Marlins in Miami. Then, there was losing two out of three at home to the Anaheim Angels, including Sunday's dreadful loss, where they were down 9-0 in the bottom of the ninth. Since then, the Reds are 13-4. Not to mention, they haven't lost consecutive games since the last two games in Miami.

Every time this team has lost since that series, they've bounced back immediately. Not only that, but they've also won games they shouldn't have won or, in theory, didn't really have to win but would have been nice if they did. The third game in Minnesota to finish off the sweep, it didn't look like the Reds would win. But they got off the mat to find a way. Even in the second game in Miami, when Sandy Alcantara was going to throw a Greg Maddux-esque shutout, the Reds rallied for a gritty win.

There are many ways this team has won games. Chase Burns has been terrific throughout April in becoming a more-than-reliable starting pitcher. The bullpen has gotten a lot of outs in several games, giving the lineup a chance to rally in the late innings. Offensively, the Reds have come around and carried this team to multiple wins down the stretch in April. It's also not just Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart, either. Some nights, it's Nathaniel Lowe, or Eugenio Suárez, or even Dane Myers carrying the lineup and being the star of the game.

Not to mention, the Reds' defense has been really good through one month this season. Elly De La Cruz looks like some combination of Omar Vizquel and Ozzie Smith right now at shortstop. Sal Stewart is an asset defensively at first base. By the way, I can't help but watch De La Cruz and Stewart at the plate and think they are a modern-day Jose Canseco-Mark McGwire 3-4 combo. This team is playing smart baseball and winning baseball.

MVP: Elly De La Cruz

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) takes off for first base on a two-run home run in the eighth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds won the opening game of the series, 7-2. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This was a close call between him and Stewart. But Elly is doing it all right now. He's hitting for power, hitting for average, running the bases, flashing the leather, and is leading this Reds team. De La Cruz has made the right play on the bases more often than not, and he's playing with a confidence I haven't seen from him before in his career.

De La Cruz is playing like he knows how good he is. Just like Terry Francona said, it was "go time" in Spring Training. De La Cruz has taken that in full stride.

Going into May, De La Cruz is hitting .282 with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs. He has 35 hits, eight stolen bases, 26 runs scored, and a .565 slugging percentage. De La Cruz also has a .975 fielding percentage.

Biggest Surprise: Dane Myers

Myers quickly became a fan favorite when his walk-off hit in Game 2 of the season gave the Reds their first win of 2026. It wasn't just a blip, either.

Through April, Myers is hitting .286 in 27 games, with an on-base percentage of .423 and 12 runs scored. He's also walked nine times, so that tells you he's having good at-bats. Myers's best stat, though, is zero errors on 32 total chances.

Looking Ahead

The Reds celebrate a win after the ninth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The Reds won 6-4. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Reds will start May with seven straight road NL Central games, with three in Pittsburgh this weekend and four in Chicago next week. In addition, the Reds will also host the Cardinals on Memorial Day Weekend. That's 10 NL Central games, after only playing three division games in the first month of the season.

May will conclude with what's looking like a showdown of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park. The Braves have the best record in Major League Baseball through April, and that series could be one of the biggest in a long time at Great American Ball Park-- June 2023 vibes, anyone?

All we wanted from the Reds in April was to win games, win series, and put themselves in a position to compete in May and create excitement going into the Summer. They've done that, even without two of their best starting pitchers and with questions remaining about this club. The vibes are good right now, let's see if the Reds continue to be that way in May.

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