Elly De La Cruz isn't the only MLB superstar enduring a power drought this season

There were times this summer when every at-bat from Elly De La Cruz felt like must-see TV. But as the Cincinnati Reds season has dragged into September, that thunder has gone quiet. The team is stuck in the middle of a frustrating power outage, and perhaps most jarring of all — their young star has been caught in the middle of it.

De La Cruz, who swatted 25 home runs in his first full big-league season, looked destined to top that mark with ease in 2025. As of September 12, he was stalled at 19 home runs.

On paper, that still feels within reach, but the reality is tougher to ignore: he hasn’t hit one since July 31. That’s 36 games, 161 plate appearances, and a whole lot of anticipation that has turned into restless silence every time his long fly balls die short of the wall.

Reds All-Star Elly De La Cruz is in the midst of a power drought, but so is Angels' outfielder Mike Trout

This isn’t about talent — Reds fans know Elly’s tools are otherworldly. It’s about timing, adjustments, and perhaps the grind of a second full season where pitchers have learned not to give him anything free. Yet, in true baseball fashion, he’s hardly the only superstar going through it.

Over in Anaheim, Mike Trout, the face of Major League Baseball for over a decade, is living through a drought of his own. Trout hasn’t homered since August 6, spanning 121 plate appearances — the longest dry spell of his career. For a player with 398 career home runs, the lack of fireworks is every bit as shocking as Elly’s silence in Cincinnati.

However, that’s baseball. Even the brightest stars can be humbled by a rough stretch of play. What makes this especially painful for Reds fans is how much they’ve come to rely on Elly’s lightning in the middle of the order. When he’s hot, Cincinnati feels like a contender. When he’s not, the offense struggles to find its identity.

The drought won’t last forever, it never does. But in a season where the Reds have battled inconsistency and fans are searching for reasons to believe, seeing their 23-year-old star rediscover his swing would be the spark that carries hope into 2026.

After all, if Mike Trout can stumble, then Elly De La Cruz certainly can forgive himself for this. The real story isn’t about how long the drought lasts, but how loud it will sound when it finally breaks out. 

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