Terry Francona’s Elly De La Cruz Decision Came Only After The Damage Was Done

Terry Francona’s Elly De La Cruz Decision Came Only After The Damage Was Done

As the MLB regular season winds down, the Cincinnati Reds find themselves walking a razor’s edge. They’re still very much alive in the hunt for the final Wild Card spot, but they’ve been playing the role of outsiders looking in.

Every game now feels like October baseball and every managerial decision will be scrutinized. On September 15 in St. Louis, Terry Francona made one of his most noticeable moves of the season — a change many argue was weeks overdue.

For the first time all year, Francona dropped Elly De La Cruz out of the No. 3 spot in the lineup. The two-time All-Star, who has endured a brutal second-half slump, batted seventh as the Reds opened a critical three-game set against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals. It was a jarring sight on the lineup card, a clear sign that Francona could no longer ignore the struggles of his most dynamic player.

Reds made bold lineup change with Elly De La Cruz as struggles mount
The timing raises an obvious question: was this move overdue? De La Cruz has been mired in one of the longest power droughts of his young career. Since homering on July 31, he’s posted a .206 batting average and a .534 OPS — production more fitting for a defensive specialist than the franchise cornerstone Cincinnati has billed him as.

The lack of a single day off all season hasn’t helped matters either. Many fans and analysts believe even one breather could have given him a chance to reset his swing and rebuild confidence. Instead, Francona has let him grind through every game, and the results have been hard to watch.

Still, Francona isn’t abandoning his star. Speaking with reporters, he made it clear this wasn’t a punishment, but a tactical adjustment designed to spark the lineup.

“I don’t know that that puts us in the best position to win,” Francona said of the idea of giving De La Cruz a day off. “We’ve got, what, 13 games left? We need to play.” He also noted that De La Cruz’s sprint speed is still among the league’s best, suggesting fatigue isn’t the culprit behind his offensive slide.

For Francona, the belief remains steady: even in a slump, De La Cruz makes the Reds better. The 23-year-old has continued to pressure opposing pitchers with his speed whenever he reaches base. By moving him down in the order rather than removing him from it, Francona is betting that reduced expectations and fewer immediate RBI opportunities could free De La Cruz to rediscover his swing.

Whether it works or not, the Reds’ season may hinge on the answer. Since Francona bumped De La Cruz down in the lineup, he’s gone 2-for-5 with three walks, effectively reaching base five times. With less than two weeks remaining, the margin for error is nonexistent. Cincinnati’s lineup is too top-heavy to withstand extended silence from one of its brightest stars.

If De La Cruz can shake off his slump and find his power stroke again, the Reds have a fighting chance at October. If not, Francona’s bold move may be remembered as too little, too late.