The Cincinnati Reds will be without superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz in the short-term. Imaging revealed a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring, which will sideline him for at least the next two to four weeks.
“We got a scan, it’s kind of between a Grade 1 and 2,” Reds manager Terry Francona told reporters, including Caleb Noe of WCPO. “The best timeline I can give you is in a couple weeks, he’ll be rescanned.”
De La Cruz received a PRP injection in his hamstring and will be receiving treatment in the next couple of days. Francona says they’ll ramp up his rehab based on how their shortstop feels in his recovery.
With that timeline in mind, the Reds have placed De La Cruz on the injured list. As the corresponding move, they’ve promoted Edwin Arroyo for his MLB debut. Arroyo figures to get the bulk of the playing time while the Reds’ star shortstop focuses on his rehab.
Elly De La Cruz Endorses Edwin Arroyo’s Promotion
With Elly De La Cruz on the mend, it’s an opportunity for the Reds to get a thorough evaluation of one of their top prospects. Edwin Arroyo had been hitting well in Triple-A, slashing .323/.383/.562 with 11 home runs and a 143 wRC+.
De La Cruz spoke to reporters, including Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19 Cincinnati, about his injury. The Reds superstar already believes Arroyo’s production at Triple-A was worth a promotion as is, and that he trusts him to pick up the slack while his hamstring heals.
He told Arroyo that he should have already been up. He says Arroyo can do it all and reminds Elly of himself.
Arroyo is in the starting lineup, batting eighth and playing second base for his MLB debut against the Kansas City Royals. Matt McLain, who was the primary second baseman all season, moved over to shortstop.
Powered by @PNCBank
It’s unclear if that will be the middle-infield configuration going forward for the Reds while De La Cruz rehabs his hamstring injury. Arroyo has 31 starts at short, compared to 18 at second base with Triple-A Louisville.
When De La Cruz returns, the question they face is who his double-play partner will be. It could depend on who is hitting better over the next month between Arroyo and McLain.
Reds Enter Critical Month of June
The Reds are entering June with a 30-28 record and on the periphery of Wild Card contention. They currently trail the Arizona Diamondbacks by a game for the final spot.
With De La Cruz out for the next two to four weeks, that will test how strong a contender the Reds are. While they remain close, there is a glut of teams vying for a Wild Card spot. Eight teams either hold or are within two games of a postseason spot entering June 1.
Another issue that’s plagued the Reds has been their bullpen, also been affected by injuries. Closer Emilio Pagan went down with a Grade 2 hamstring strain on May 5, and their bullpen has been in disarray.
They have the fourth-worst ERA in May (4.98), with also the largest shutdown-meltdown differential (-4). That has contributed to their slide and a 10-17 record for the month. The Reds will need to reverse that bullpen trend in June to stay in the race, as that glut starts to separate.
Reds Reveal Recovery Timeline for Elly De La Cruz