De La Cruz continues to own the Dodgers, inches closer to 30-30 season

CINCINNATI -- Elly De La Cruz is knocking on the door of the 30/30 club. Will the Reds shortstop have enough time to break through it before the 2026 season ends?

During a 6-2 Reds win over the Dodgers on Wednesday night, De La Cruz connected for another home run -- his 28th of the season and the go-ahead hit -- while tying a career high by reaching safely in his 23rd consecutive game.

“We’re all fortunate to have him play with our team," starting pitcher Andrew Abbott said. "I’ve played with him for years now, so I’ve seen all the fun stuff. He’s special. He’s an athlete. He’s a unicorn. He’s going to have a long career in this sport, and the way he’s doing it and producing for us right now, he’s going to do it for a long time."

De La Cruz, who was 1-for-3 with an intentional walk and two runs scored, did not steal a base and sits at 26 for the year. There are 10 games remaining in Cincinnati's season.

The list of Reds with 30-homer, 30-stolen base seasons isn't long, but it is impressive.

It was previously done by Brandon Phillips (30 homers, 32 steals) in 2007, Barry Larkin (33, 36) in 1996 and Eric Davis (37, 50) in 1987. All three are Reds Hall of Famers, and Larkin is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

One player in the Major Leagues this season has reached 30/30: the Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has 44 homers and 37 steals.

Although the Reds are 1-5 vs. the Dodgers this season, De La Cruz's individual numbers tell a rosier story. In six games against Los Angeles, he's batting .429 with a 1.716 OPS, five homers and seven RBIs. That makes him responsible for more than half of the 13 runs the Reds have collectively scored against the Dodgers.

Over 25 career games against the Dodgers, De La Cruz is batting .302 with a .993 OPS, seven homers and 14 RBIs. And during his 23-game on-base streak, he is batting .424 with a 1.273 OPS, eight homers, 17 RBIs and four steals.

“He’s on time. He’s got balance," manager Terry Francona said. "When a guy is on balance, they shrink the strike zone a little bit, and he leverages the ball so well when he’s on balance and he uses the whole field.”

The Reds'' lineup caught a break when Dodgers starter Blake Snell – who threw a no-hitter against them in 2024 – departed after only one inning with left groin tightness. It forced Los Angeles to put together an impromptu bullpen game with its relievers.

Abbott grinded through a 4 2/3-inning no-decision, allowing one run and three hits, but tied a season high with five walks while throwing 98 pitches. In the top of the third inning, the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead on Will Smith's one-out RBI double to right field that scored Mookie Betts from first base.

In the bottom of the third inning against Dodgers reliever Seth Halvorsen, De La Cruz's homer gave the Reds the lead.

"It takes the pressure off of you a little bit. You can breathe," Abbott said. "You can’t really relax with the lineup over there, but you can take a step back and say, ‘OK, guys are hitting the ball, we are putting the ball in play.’ We got into their bullpen today, and guys are taking great ABs, so it gave me time to breathe, relax in the dugout and come up with plans in between innings to go out and execute.”

Important add-on runs followed. A two-out solo homer to right-center field by Dane Myers came in the fifth inning, with Juan Brito's blooped RBI single to right field coming in the sixth. In the seventh, Sal Stewart's single off Betts' glove at shortstop scored De La Cruz and gave him his 108th RBI of the season, second in the Major Leagues.

While he played all 162 games in 2025, De La Cruz had to manage a left quadriceps strain during the second half that stymied his production. In 133 games this season – missing three weeks with a right hamstring strain – the 24-year-old switch-hitter is batting .286 with an .885 OPS and 74 RBIs.

De La Cruz entered the day third in the Majors with 6.0 WAR. He leads all big league shortstops in OPS and is third in homers. Not only could he finish with a 30/30 achievement, but he should also be deserving of some down-ballot National League MVP votes.