Reds' Elly De La Cruz injury update has fans exhaling after Sunday's scare

The Cincinnati Reds will be without their superstar for the foreseeable future after the club placed Elly De La Cruz on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. The severity of the injury has yet to be disclosed, but this sounds like a best-case scenario given how bad it could've been. De La Cruz sounded hopeful after Sunday's game, and he may only miss a few weeks of action.

Taking De La Cruz's place on the active roster will be none other than the team's top prospect, Edwin Arroyo. The 22-year-old shortstop has been tearing it up in Triple-A all season, and will be making his big-league debut when he steps onto the field for the first time.

De La Cruz injured himself during the bottom of the fifth inning of Sunday's 6-4 win over the Atlanta Braves. The Reds' shortstop laced a would-be double into the right-center field gap, but slowed up just before touching first base.

De La Cruz had an obvious hitch in his giddy-up, and Terry Francona immediately came onto the field to check on his ailing star. The Reds' skipper made the move to substitute Matt McLain for De La Cruz, and the shortstop went into the clubhouse for further evaluation. The initial reports that emerged on Sunday called De La Cruz's injury hamstring tightness.

Elly De La Cruz IL stint gives way to Reds prospect Edwin Arroyo

With De La Cruz on the mend — hopefully for the 10-day minimum — Arroyo will finally get his shot. He was part of the prospect package the Reds received from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Luis Castillo back in 2022.

Arroyo suffered a shoulder injury prior to the start of the 2024 season and underwent season-ending surgery. He worked his way back to the field in 2025, but never really looked like the player he was before the injury. Recovery from shoulder ailments can be tricky, and oftentimes can take players two full years post-surgery before they feel like themselves again.

But this season at Triple-A Louisville, Arroyo has been on a tear. Prior to his promotion, he was hitting .323/.383/.562 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, nine stolen bases, and a 143 wRC+. Arroyo is a contact hitter who rarely strikes out (16.8% K-rate), and the coaches are hoping he brings that level of production to the major leagues.

The Reds will certainly miss De La Cruz's impact on the game, but Arroyo should be a suitable substitute for the time being. That said, Cincinnati will need their veterans to step up and help to carry the load while De La Cruz is on the shelf.

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