Reds fan-favorite's generous offer could turn Elly De La Cruz into elite defender

An air of mystery surrounds the Cincinnati Reds’ infield. How will Gavin Lux factor in? Will Matt McLain bounce back from injury? Who will man third base? One thing that goes without question is Elly De La Cruz will be the centerpiece of it all, no matter what position he takes on. After all, De La Cruz is already the most beneficial fielder on Cincinnati’s roster. But a former Reds star could make him even better.

Brandon Phillips, a four-time Gold Glover at second base with Cincinnati, took to X to offer his services to the Reds, albeit in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek manner. Asked by a fan to “show Elly a thing or two,” Phillips responded, “They ask, I’ll come.” Reds Twitter promptly lost its collective mind.

Brandon Phillips’ offer to help Elly De La Cruz could make the young shortstop into an elite defender

Former stars stopping by spring training to help out the new crop of players is fairly common, and even a few sessions with Phillips could elevate De La Cruz from solid to superstar. De La Cruz is already far and away the most productive player on the Reds, contributing 15 outs above average in 2024. Much of this can be attributed to his cannon-like arm.

Where De La Cruz struggles, though, is his range and reaction. He led all Major League shortstops with 29 errors last season, and his ultimate zone rating was eight points below average. This is where Phillips excelled in his Reds career. From 2006-2016, he holds two of Top 10 seasons as a second baseman in UZR. He also collected the second-most defensive WAR as a second baseman in that span.

Phillips and De La Cruz also seem like they’d hit it off. Both have a flair for the dramatic; Phillips was known as much for his emphatic bat flips as his flashy glovework. That pair working under manager Terry Francona, who can rein them in if need be, could be a match made in heaven.

Adding Phillips as either a coach or just a guest at spring training would benefit not only De La Cruz but the whole fleet of infielders currently on the Reds’ roster. Lux, for example, has been praised for his versatility, but he ranks below average at most of his positions. McLain was substantially better at short than second base, so who better to learn from than Phillips?

If nothing else, Phillips will bring Reds fans back to an era of greater success. He knows what it takes to win and was a key figure in Cincy’s last division title. Maybe some of that mystique will rub off on the 2025 squad.

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