Reds Confirm Elly De La Cruz Will Stay at Shortstop in 2026
The Cincinnati Reds have made it clear that Elly De La Cruz will remain their starting shortstop next season, despite his defensive struggles in 2025.
According to a report from Charlie Goldsmith, the Reds have no intention of moving De La Cruz to another position.
“Elly De La Cruz will be the Reds’ shortstop again in 2026, according to sources,” Goldsmith wrote.
The 23-year-old led the league in errors for the second straight season but remains a cornerstone of Cincinnati’s young roster. Team officials believe his defensive issues are fixable and plan to adjust his workload next year. De La Cruz played all 162 games in 2025, and the club wants to give him more rest days to keep him fresh throughout the long season.
Manager Terry Francona addressed the situation during the Reds Hot Stove show, praising infield coach Freddie Benavides for his work with the team’s defense.
“Freddie is one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around,” Francona said. “Elly makes some errors that can be corrected. We’re going to spend a lot of energy improving that.”
Offensively, De La Cruz saw a slight dip in production, hitting .264 with a .336 on-base percentage, .440 slugging percentage, 60 extra-base hits, and 37 stolen bases. Still, his athleticism and potential remain central to the Reds’ long-term plans.
The Reds believe that by managing his workload and focusing on refining his defense, De La Cruz can take another step toward becoming one of baseball’s elite shortstops in 2026.
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