Elly De La Cruz leaves some Reds fans torn between generational talent and hype

Elly De La Cruz has some of the most prodigious raw talent in baseball. There's no denying what he's capable of on the diamond.

However, there's a difference between capability and actuality. De La Cruz was an All-Star for the second consecutive season on the back of a .284/.359/.495 batting line and a near-20/20 performance (18 home runs, 25 steals) in the first half. In the second half, though, the shortstop has a 73 wRC+ and 28.6% strikeout rate.

This has become the painful truth for Reds fans — his talent is off the charts, but his consistency is lacking. Just 23 years old, can De La Cruz still make good on his superstar promise?

Elly De La Cruz must find consistent approach for Reds as crucial years approach

Let's remember this is a guy with 58 home runs, 138 steals, 272 runs, and 203 RBI through his first 413 MLB games. You don't just waltz into those numbers; there has to be serious talent in place to be that productive at the highest level. De La Cruz also possesses a career .189 ISO, 9.4% walk rate, and .345 BABIP. He's also one of the fastest swingers and runners in the sport.

It boggles the mind, then, that he also is just 6% better than the average hitter in his career (106 wRC+). By that stat, as well as OPS (.772) and wOBA (.332), the truth is that De La Cruz has been plainly above average, and well short of a superstar.

The issue, of course, lies in his consistency. Check out De La Cruz's wRC+ by month this season:

• March/April: 111
• May: 97
• June: 189
• July: 124
• August: 47
• September: 67

In June, he was arguably the best hitter in baseball. In April and July, he was an All-Star caliber hitter. And now, in August and September, he's been one of the worst regulars in the sport.

The same even applies to his defense. After posting 14 Outs Above Average and nine Fielding Run Value in 2024, De La Cruz has been a net-negative in the field this year (-5 OAA, -2 FRV). Consistency evades him in all aspects of the game.

It shouldn't be surprising that De La Cruz's strikeout habits are one of his most telling traits. During his prolific June, he struck out just 18.2% of the time; in August, that rate was up to 31.4%. It remains one of the most frustrating holes in his game.

The answer to the question of whether De La Cruz is a generational player or not depends on your perspective. Is a superstar someone capable of doing something special every time he steps on the field? Or, is it someone who is simply great day-in and day-out?

If he finds a little consistency, he might be one of the few players who can fulfill both descriptions. Unless that happens, though, his hype may continue to outstrip his actual production.

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