Elly De La Cruz’s Defensive Struggles Put Reds in Tough Spot
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz made his 20th error of the season—more than any other player in the league—during the sixth inning of Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The routine ground ball that slipped through his legs with two outs and the bases loaded allowed two Dodgers runs to score, extending their lead to 5-0.
This kind of mistake has unfortunately become a pattern for De La Cruz in 2025. His frequent defensive lapses—often at critical moments—have even led fans to nickname him “Error De La Cruz” on social media.
There’s growing pressure for the Reds to make a difficult decision regarding his position. Many fans have long pushed for De La Cruz to move to the outfield. While he brings elite speed and a strong throwing arm—attributes that could make him a standout outfielder—his defensive numbers at shortstop continue to decline. This season, he’s posted -4 defensive runs saved and -2 outs above average.
A move to the outfield, possibly center field, seems logical—especially with Noelvi Marte expected to play right field. However, center is currently held by TJ Friedl, a respected team leader who, despite an inconsistent season, is arbitration-eligible and unlikely to be traded.
After the Reds acquired Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates at the trade deadline, the possibility of shifting De La Cruz to third base has also been taken off the table.
Still, moving De La Cruz to the outfield raises another issue: who replaces him at shortstop? Edwin Arroyo shows promise defensively but hasn’t advanced past Double-A with the Chattanooga Lookouts.
De La Cruz is undoubtedly a gifted athlete, capable of dazzling plays. But his inconsistency on routine plays remains a glaring weakness. Heading into the offseason, the Reds are facing a difficult crossroads. They’d prefer to keep De La Cruz at shortstop—but they might not be able to justify it much longer.
