Reds' Manager Terry Francona Highlights What Makes Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart Special

Elly De La Cruz has been one of the hottest hitters in Major League Baseball over the last three weeks. He has reached base safely in each of his last 23 games and has hit eight home runs during that streak.

The Reds also have a potential Rookie of the Year winner in Sal Stewart, who has carried the offense for the majority of the season. Unfortunately, the rest of the offense has been below league average and hasn't been able to pick them up during their slumps. Reds manager Terry Francona praised the Reds' duo when talking to reporters before Thursday's series finale against the Dodgers.

He's Been Other Worldly For Nearly a Month

It's no secret that the Reds struck gold with Elly De La Cruz. Signing him for $65,000 back in 2018, he became the number-one prospect in baseball prior to his promotion in 2023, became the best player on the Reds and one of the best in all of baseball. A key reason why De La Cruz has been this successful during this historic streak? Confidence.

"I know I've said it a million times, but confidence plays such a big part," Francona told Mike Petraglia, "and he can't quantify it, so people sometimes don't value it enough, but when you walk up there and you think you can do it, or you know you can do it, as opposed to you hope you can do it, it's a big deal."

During his on-base streak, De La Cruz has 21 singles, 10 doubles, eight home runs, 23 runs scored, 10 walks, and four stolen bases. Only one other player in the modern era: Lou Gehrig. According to FanGraphs, De La Cruz has generated 6.1 wins above replacement in 2026, placing ninth among Reds batting seasons since 1990. His 2024 season, valued at 6.8 fWAR, tied for third on that list alongside Barry Larkin’s 1996 effort.

Sal Stewart Has Done More Than Enough For The Reds During His Rookie Campaign

Stewart has been either a league leader or near the top of the league in RBI for nearly three months. The 22-year-old has 109 RBI this season, a Reds' rookie record, and there are still games to be played. Another part of Stewart's game that doesn't get talked about nearly enough has been defense. Francona spoke about Stewart's confidence, not only on offense but on defense.

"I think in the batter's box definitely,“ Francona said. Francona said. "I think the rest of the game is (progressing), and that's okay. I mean, he's playing a new position as a rookie. He got a lot thrown at him, and he's handled it pretty damn well."

Stewart was drafted by the Reds in 2022 as a competitive balance pick after the Reds lost Nick Castellanos to the Phillies in free agency. He became the Reds' top prospect in 2025 and advanced from Double-A to the big league level in just one season; 2025 was his first season in Double-A. He learned how to play first base on the fly midseason, playing just two games in Triple-A at the position before he was promoted to the big league club in September.

He has an excellent ability to adjust his swing depending on the situation of the game. He knows when to swing for power and when to take the ball the other way to drive in runs. An extremely advanced and mature approach for such a young hitter.

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