Shohei Ohtani’s absence from the All-Star Game opened a lane for Elly De La Cruz, but Cincinnati’s shortstop still wound up on the outside looking in.
Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star, will miss the game because of a knee injury he has been dealing with for nearly a month. Instead of heading to Philadelphia for the All-Star festivities, he’ll use the break for treatment. That left a spot available on the National League roster, and De La Cruz seemed like the obvious name to slide in.
Instead, the replacement went to St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Iván Herrera, who will join the National League team Tuesday night at Citizen’s Bank Park.
For De La Cruz, it’s another brutal twist in an All-Star story that already had Reds fans frustrated. Cincinnati already has two representatives in the mix this year - Chase Burns and Sal Stewart - but De La Cruz’s season looked strong enough to earn him a third straight trip to the Midsummer Classic.
The numbers make the case pretty clearly. Even after missing about a month with a hamstring injury, De La Cruz still has more home runs (15), RBI (44), and stolen bases (13) than Herrera. Herrera’s one clear edge is on-base percentage, where he sits at .386 compared to De La Cruz’s .345.
De La Cruz also got squeezed out of the original roster picture, in part because of the fan vote that helps determine All-Star starters. Chicago Cubs shortstop CJ Abrams will start for the National League on Tuesday in Philly, and Miami Marlins infielder Otto Lopez is expected to back him up.
There is at least one possible upside for Cincinnati. De La Cruz won’t take part in the All-Star Game, which gives him a short break before the second half begins. If he comes back healthy, that could matter a lot for a Reds team that has had a rough start to the 2026 season.
Right now, Cincinnati looks more like a seller with the trade deadline approaching. But that can flip fast. A hot stretch after the All-Star break, especially with De La Cruz and Hunter Greene healthy, could change the direction of the season in a hurry.
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