Elly De La Cruz

Elly De La Cruz's 2025 season failed to showcase his elite fantasy ceiling. Fantasy managers expecting him to shore up the stolen base category were disappointed to see them drop from 67 to 37. However, after the season, the Reds revealed ELDC had played through a left quad strain for the entire second half, which is certainly supported by his first-half/second-half splits. Swing-and-miss remains part of his profile, though he did get his strikeout rate below 30% for the first time. His 2026 projections expect modest gains in efficiency rather than raw volume, with a stabilized strikeout rate supporting slightly better average and on-base results. The year-over-year trend in contact quality is encouraging, even if volatility persists. Elly remains a category-warping fantasy asset whose value hinges on embracing the variance.

Elly De La Cruz will remain at shortstop in 2026

The Reds plan to keep Elly De La Cruz at shortstop next season, according to Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati. Despite leading the majors in errors in each of his two full seasons, the 23-year-old will stay put for 2026. After posting a plus-14 Outs Above Average mark in 2024, De La Cruz dropped to minus-3 in 2025, fueling speculation of a possible position change. However, the Reds are not considering a move to the outfield and instead intend to give him more rest days and occasional starts at designated hitter to keep him fresh.

Fantasy Impact

This news locks De La Cruz into shortstop eligibility for another season, preserving his value in fantasy lineups. While his defensive inconsistencies remain, Cincinnati’s plan to manage his workload could help his offensive consistency after a sluggish second half in 2025. He remains one of the most dynamic fantasy options at the position, capable of elite speed and power when locked in.