Elly De La Cruz is putting together the kind of stretch that turns heads across the league, and MLB Network’s Brian Kenny didn’t hold back on Thursday.
Even though De La Cruz was left off the All-Star roster this season, he’s playing the best baseball of his career and riding a serious surge into Friday night’s matchup against the Brewers. He’s homered in five straight games, and since August 22, he’s been scorching: .449/.500/.812 with a 255 wRC+ and 13 extra-base hits.
Kenny went even further on MLB Now, calling De La Cruz a top-five player in the sport.
"He's very close (to being MVP), Kenny said on MLB Now. "He's top five right now.
He's top five in the league right now. He is slugging .511, he's got a 139 OPS+...
Totality of hitting, he's 5th in WAR, which includes his tremendous throwing arm, his shortstop play, and his base running, which is still superior. He is a top-five guy in the league right now."
For the Reds, the frustrating big-picture season hasn’t stopped a few young cornerstone pieces from flashing real star power. De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, and Chase Burns have all looked like players the front office can build around.
De La Cruz is under team control through 2029, but the Reds still haven’t won a postseason game with him on the roster. Time is ticking.
Elsewhere in the organization, the Reds’ High-A affiliate in Dayton made a bit of history Thursday night. The Dayton Dragons won their first home postseason game since 2011, and they did it with pitching.
Dayton managed only five hits, but it was enough in a 3-1 win. Kyle McCoy, a Reds eighth-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, set the tone with four scoreless innings. Trent Hodgdon finished it off in the ninth for his 12th save of the season.
“Just sticking to the plan,” Hodgdon told MLB.com about the 9th inning. “What we've really preached all season, just getting ahead in the count. And [Pitching Coach Willie Blair] always says, get ahead in the count (and) you're going to have success and that was the main thing, just trying to stay ahead the whole time.”
The Dragons now move into a win-or-go-home game on Friday night, with a chance to advance to the next round.
In Other News...
Reds Fans Have Every Right To Be Furious Over Sal Stewart Debate
The National League Rookie of the Year conversation has narrowed in a way that should have Reds fans paying close attention, because Sal Stewart has put himself right in the middle of it. His case is built on the kind of offensive production Cincinnati has been looking for all year, especially the ability to drive in runs even when the lineup around him has not always set the table. That has made Stewart one of the most intriguing names in the race, and it has also made the debate feel bigger than just one award.
Nolan McLean has emerged as the other major challenger, and the contrast is part of what makes this such a frustrating discussion for Cincinnati followers. Stewart is being weighed against a pitcher with strong numbers, while JJ Wetherholts injury has altered the shape of the race and taken another name out of the mix. For Reds fans, the annoyance is easy to understand: Stewart has given them plenty to point to, but the conversation still feels like it may come down to how voters value what he did against what McLean brought to the mound. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Should Be Paying Attention To Carlos Jorge Right Now
Carlos Jorge keeps turning heads in ways that matter for a Reds organization always looking for the next useful piece. In a game against the Dodgers, the rookie outfielder made a notable catch that served as another reminder of how far he has come since Cincinnati moved him from second base to center field in 2023. The shift was a significant one, but Jorge has made it look increasingly natural while logging more than 250 games at the position.
For the Reds, his progress fits into a broader development pattern that can be hard to get right. Not every prospect who changes positions takes to it this cleanly, and the club has had its share of less successful conversions. Jorges growth is why he deserves more attention now, not just for the highlight plays, but for what he could represent if Cincinnati keeps finding value in players willing to learn something new. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Prospect Faces A Brutal Reality After Yet Another Setback
The Reds farm system has had plenty to track this September, even if the first step in the postseason has not gone the way either affiliate wanted. Daytona and Dayton both opened their league championship series with losses, which puts immediate pressure on each club as the playoffs move deeper into the week. For Cincinnati, the bigger picture still includes several prospects whose seasons have carried real meaning, from Daytonas lineup to the hitters trying to find footing at higher levels.
Ichiro Cano has been one of the more encouraging names in that group, putting together a strong year with Daytona while batting .297 with seven home runs. Ruben Ibarra also turned in a notable season by setting a career high with 22 homers for Chattanooga, while former first-round pick Austin Hendrick continues to search for traction after dropping from Triple-A to Double-A. With the affiliates fighting to extend their seasons, there is still plenty of interest in how those player arcs finish out, even if the road has already gotten a little steeper. [Read more 🡒]