Elly De La Cruz has made an impressive start to the 2026 MLB season, producing at a high level through 52 games while also drawing attention for a surprising decline in his base-stealing impact. The Cincinnati Reds shortstop has posted a 2.1 bWAR and is hitting .288/.355/.529 with 12 home runs, 35 RBI and 25 extra-base hits, marking one of the strongest openings of his young career. He has also added nine stolen bases, but that total comes with a caveat: only one steal has come in May, and he has been caught stealing twice during the month. Overall, De La Cruz has been thrown out five times this season, a notable figure for a player long celebrated for elite speed and aggressive baserunning.
Even with the reduced stealing frequency, De La Cruz remains one of Cincinnati’s most dangerous offensive players. His nine stolen bases rank second on the team behind Sal Stewart and place him tied for 22nd in Major League Baseball. On paper, those numbers are still solid, but they stand in contrast to the electrifying speed profile that helped make De La Cruz one of the most exciting players in the sport. The biggest question surrounding his season is not his production at the plate, but what has happened to his trademark running game.
The comparison with previous seasons highlights the shift. In 2023, De La Cruz led Major League Baseball in sprint speed at 30.5 feet per second. In 2024, he slipped to third in sprint speed while still pacing the majors in stolen bases. In 2025, injury limited him, yet he still ranked 56th in sprint speed despite being far from full strength. This year, he is healthy, but he is currently 111th in MLB and sits in the 74th percentile among major league players. That drop has fueled speculation about whether the change is the result of strategy, health, opportunity or choice.
One possible explanation is the approach of new manager Terry Francona, whose Reds teams have been far less aggressive on the bases than those managed by David Bell. A more cautious style could be reducing the number of attempts, especially if the club wants to limit outs on the bases. Another theory points to Scott Boras, De La Cruz’s agent, and whether a more conservative running approach might align with a long-term financial strategy. A third possibility is that De La Cruz himself is choosing to be more selective, focusing on his breakout offense and improved defense while picking better moments to run.
Whatever the reason, the Reds are missing the game-changing pressure De La Cruz can create on the bases. He remains a five-tool star and one of baseball’s most dynamic talents, but the sudden dip in sprint speed and stolen-base activity has become one of the most curious storylines of Cincinnati’s 2026 season.
