T
he Cincinnati Reds have been one of the worst teams in baseball over the last two months, and a large part of that has been due to injuries across the roster.
Most notably, superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz missed significant time for the first time in his young career after spending three weeks on the injured list with a hamstring strain.
He returned to action on June 23, but during Sunday’s series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the 24-year-old had another injury scare.
Elly De La Cruz Tweaks Ankle
De La Cruz sprained his ankle during the game and needed it taped, but fortunately he remained in the lineup. That’s an encouraging sign regarding the severity of the injury.
The Reds lost 9-4 despite winning the series. After the game, manager Terry Francona provided an update on both De La Cruz’s ankle and Eugenio Suarez, who also exited the contest.
“Yeah, he got it taped and it kind of stiffened up while we were in here [for the weather delay]. … We’ll kind of reevaluate him too and see how he’s doing,” Francona said.
Terry Francona gave an update on Elly De La Cruz, who tweaked his ankle on Sunday. #Reds pic.twitter.com/0ClYYgwBYZ
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) June 28, 2026
As for Suarez, the X-rays on his hand and wrist were inconclusive, leaving his status for Monday’s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers uncertain.
The team will further evaluate both players Monday morning to determine their immediate status moving forward.
Reds’ Latest Skid
The Reds went 9-15 in June after posting a 10-17 record in May. At one point, Cincinnati sat roughly 10 games above .500, firmly in the playoff picture and in contention for the top spot in the NL Central.
However, the team’s 19-32 record over the last two months has dropped it to the bottom of the division. Cincinnati now trails first place by 11.5 games and sits 4.5 games out of a NL Wild Card spot.
Reds’ Terry Francona Gives Injury Update on Elly De La Cruz