Elly De La Cruz's career arc is starting to resemble Mike Trout’s frustrating path

Does this sound familiar? A once-in-a-generation talent lands on a team and produces awe-inspiring highlights. Still, the team struggles to make the postseason, and the team fumbles opportunities to build around a star that could be a future Hall of Famer.

Unfortunately, the scenario seems to be all over the majors right now: Paul Skenes, Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Churio, and Elly De La Cruz will all likely be at home in October. In order to change course, the Cincinnati Reds need to look to the West Coast for a cautionary tale.

Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout may well have been the De La Cruz of yesteryear. In fact, with his emotional 50th home run on Sunday, the Reds’ superstar joined a club of just four other players to hit 50 homers and steal 100 bases before turning 24. The only other active player on that list is Trout. Unfortunately, if the Reds don’t make some changes, the pair may have even more in common.

The Reds need to learn a lesson from the Angels’ bungling of Mike Trout’s career

In the 2010s, Trout was not just the best player in baseball; he looked like he would become the best player ever. Over his first nine full seasons, before he became cursed by injuries, the centerfielder had an OPS of 1.009 and 280 homers with 198 stolen bases. He also only appeared in the postseason once.

Instead of building upon their division title in 2014, the Angels traded their second-best player, Howie Kendrick. As a result, they trotted out a lineup that featured Johnny Giavotella and rookies Rafael Ortega, and Carlos Pérez to defend their AL West crown. (Those players, by the way, have a combined career bWAR of 2.8 across their collective 20 seasons in the majors.) The Angels haven’t had a winning season since 2016.

When the Angels finally did decide to get land the big fish, they nabbed Shohei Ohtani, arguably the best player of the current decade (or at least a close competitor for that title with Aaron Judge). Trout and Ohtani had two good seasons together, but the rest of the team never quite fell into place. It’s been a frustrating 15 years in Orange County, even as fans have gotten to watch two generational talents.

The Reds have a Trout on their hands. Even if De La Cruz does not sign an extension, he’ll be under contract through 2029. Now is the time to prove to him that the Reds are serious about contending. Otherwise, Cincinnati could be doomed much like the Angels.

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