Joey Votto isn’t leaving much room for debate when it comes to Elly De La Cruz.
The former Cincinnati Reds first baseman, who played alongside De La Cruz during his rookie season in 2023, said on MLB Now that De La Cruz has already made the leap into the conversation for the best shortstop in baseball. Votto’s case is built on more than a hot stretch at the plate. He pointed to De La Cruz’s growth as a hitter, his speed, and the fact that he kept showing up every day for a team that needed him.
"He's had some nice years in the past, but this is him taking that major step forward," Votto said on MLB Now. "The plus 500 slug, he played 162 games last year with a bum leg.
That representation of leadership for a team that really needed him every single day. He plays shortstop.
He gets better. He's got a lot of great baserunning skills and natural ability.
And now to see him dominate from both sides of the plate, I really think this is him taking the step towards best shortstop in baseball. You're going to say he's not.
I would argue he is."
That kind of praise carries weight coming from Votto, someone who spent years around elite major league talent and got a front-row seat to De La Cruz’s early development. His point wasn’t just about the numbers, either. The 162 games last year with a bum leg stood out to him as proof of how De La Cruz has grown into a player his team can lean on every single day.
Votto also turned his attention to Great American Ball Park, and he had a take that runs against the usual conversation about the Cincinnati home field. The park is often talked about as a place that helps hitters, but Votto argued that it actually works against some of the things De La Cruz does best.
"I would argue that Great American Ball Park suppresses his style. I also think it negatively affects his ability to max out in the OPS+, wRC+, and then inevitably in a WAR," Votto continued.
"How many triples have we seen from the best runner in baseball? Limited.
How many groundballs on the other side of a shortstop and second baseman turn into a double? Almost none.
That is part of the reason why I think Great American Ball Park is not his friend."
Votto’s idea is pretty simple: De La Cruz’s speed should create even more damage in a bigger outfield, and the smaller confines in Cincinnati may be limiting how often that athleticism turns into extra bases. It’s a different way to think about a ballpark that’s usually judged by home runs.
As for whether De La Cruz is already the best shortstop in baseball, that’s still the argument Votto wants to win.
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