The Cincinnati Reds have made their decision: Elly De La Cruz will remain the team’s starting shortstop in 2026.Despite leading the league in errors for the second straight season, the Reds are not planning a position change.
Charlie Goldsmith reported that Cincinnati is committed to keeping Elly at shortstop and will focus on more rest, better workload management, and mechanical improvements to help him bounce back next season. Terry Francona also believes Elly’s defensive issues are fixable with continued work from infield coach Freddie Benavides.
In this video, I break down:✅ Why the Reds are sticking with Elly at SS✅ Francona’s comments from Reds Hot Stove✅ Elly’s defensive metrics (2024 vs 2025 OAA)✅ His offensive step-back in 2025✅ Why the infield is basically locked for 2026:Stewart/Steer (1B), McLain (2B), Elly (SS), Hayes (3B)
What do you think — did the Reds make the right call?
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