This Reds spring training battle could unlock the best version of Elly De La Cruz

Spring training battles usually get overhyped. This one is different, because it’s not really about who “wins” a lineup spot. It's about whether the Cincinnati Reds can stop opponents from pushing the same bullpen button every night. Terry Francona is trying to take away the easy matchup script that keeps Cincinnati’s best innings from ever breathing.

He’s trying to protect innings from being hijacked by the most annoying lever in modern baseball: the mid-inning lefty specialist who turns your best scoring pocket into a matchup maze. And the numbers give Francona a pretty clean reason to care.

One Reds batting order fight could change the way teams pitch to Elly De La Cruz

In 2025, De La Cruz was good overall (.264 batting average, 22 homers, .777 OPS, 37 steals) — the kind of production that should be the engine of Cincinnati’s lineup. But his splits show the soft spot opposing managers are targeting: he hit far better against right-handed pitching (.277/.362/.486) than he did against left-handed pitching (.236/.276/.342). 

If you can coax the Reds into a spot where a lefty can enter and force Elly to hit right-handed in a big moment — especially with the bases cleaned off — you’ve already won half the battle.

So when Francona talks about wanting a right-handed hitter in the lineup spot ahead of Elly, it isn’t some old-school “protection” cliché. It’s practical. It’s him trying to stop opponents from timing their bullpen button perfectly: bring in a lefty to snuff out TJ Friedl (and any other lefty look near the top), then let that same pitcher linger long enough to drag Elly into his weaker split.

The Reds can make that plan a lot harder with one simple decision: put a credible right-handed bat directly in front of De La Cruz and make the matchup move feel expensive.

If we’re being honest, the answer should be Spencer Steer. He’s the steadiest option Francona has. Steer can grind at-bats, he can punish mistakes, and he’s not going to get managed off the field emotionally if he slumps for a week. The job is to make opponents hesitate before they go to the lefty. 

Noelvi Marte is the more volatile argument, and that’s why fans will want it. If Marte looks like a real threat this spring, you can talk yourself into the upside. But spring training can’t be the entire résumé for a lineup job that’s basically built to influence how other managers deploy their best matchup arms in April. If Marte earns it, great — but Francona building a lineup that doesn’t get puppeteered.

Then there’s the Sal Stewart whisper. Prospects always have a spring where they make everyone uncomfortable. But asking him to win this specific role out of camp is probably a bridge too far. No matter how bad he wants it.

If the Reds want the sharpest version of De La Cruz (the one who’s barreling right-handers and turning innings into track meets) they can’t keep giving opponents an easy bullpen script. This spring battle isn’t about a name. It’s about forcing teams to pitch to Cincinnati straight up.

And if Francona nails it, Elly won’t just get better pitches. He’ll get better moments.