"If Elly De La Cruz is not hitting, the Reds just don't score" - Sportscaster sees infielder as successor to Joey Votto, hopes for 30-70 season
Elly De La Cruz is one of the most exciting players in the MLB right now. The Cincinnati Reds shortstop has continued to turn heads with his elite combination of speed and power. Although things have not gone according to plan for the Reds this season, the continued superstar turn of De La Cruz is something special for the fans and the franchise.
Unfortunately, Cincinnati has struggled to provide much except De La Cruz. The Reds are 4th in the National League Central with a 63-68 record, putting their postseason hopes in doubt.
"The Cincinnati Reds know what they have in Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene" - Locked On Reds
One of the reasons for the team's struggles is the lack of production around Elly, something Jeff Carr of Locked On Reds Podcast pointed out.
"You can't just have Elly and everyone else follows along because if he's not hitting and no one else is, the Reds just don't score," Carr said in Monday's episode of the podcast [5:12].
The Reds have been ravaged by injuries all season, losing key players such as Matt McLain, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jeimer Candelario. The rest of the lineup will need to step up in their absences if they hope for a late push for the postseason.
It's been a tremendous sophomore season for De La Cruz. Heading into Monday, he has a .265 batting average with 22 home runs, 59 RBIs and a whopping 61 stolen bases. That power and speed combo is something that Carr hopes will lead the Reds' superstar to a coveted 30 home run and 70 stolen base season. Given the number of games remaining, it could be a realistic outcome for the star.
Jeff Carr compares Elly De La Cruz to Joey Votto during his prime with the Reds
Joey Votto is an icon for the Cincinnati Reds. The Canadian first baseman was a force for the club during his 17-year tenure with the team. Thanks to his elite presence at the plate, Votto was a threat to do some damage every time he stepped into the box.
"You wanted some Joey Votto highlights? HERE YOU GO #Reds" - @RedsDaily4
Once Votto started to decline as he got older, the Reds couldn't truly find a replacement as the team's bona fide superstar. This is something Carr believes could be the case for Elly. Given his pop and speed on the basepaths, Carr views him as a game-changing star in the same vein as Votto. It's high praise for Elly De La Cruz given Votto's potential Hall of Fame career with the Reds.