Elly De La Cruz expected to return soon for Reds after right hamstring IL stint

The Cincinnati Reds are expecting a boost to their lineup and middle-infield stability. Manager Terry Francona told reporters that shortstop Elly De La Cruz is expected to be reinstated from the injured list after missing 19 games with a strained right hamstring.

De La Cruz is one of the Reds’ central pieces when healthy, both as an everyday shortstop and as a spark in how Cincinnati turns games with speed and aggression. In his absence, the team’s lineup construction and defensive alignment necessarily shifted to cover the void at shortstop and absorb the impact of missing a core presence in the batting order.

Francona’s comments place Cincinnati in a more optimistic lane heading into the next stretch than if the recovery timeline had been extended. Still, “expected to return” is not the same as a guarantee of immediate availability, especially for hamstring issues that can linger or change how quickly a player can sprint, cut, and maintain full range of motion in-game.

According to the report, the injured list stint for De La Cruz was driven by a strained right hamstring. The Reds have not been described in the report as making additional moves connected to the injury, but the timing matters because reintegration affects everything from who starts at shortstop to how the Reds pace their baserunning and infield reads.

For the player, the key question is whether he can return at full speed and full effectiveness, rather than simply rejoining the roster. Hamstring-related setbacks can cause hesitation on the types of plays a shortstop and leadoff-inclined profile often relies on, particularly when a game requires sudden acceleration or sharp lateral movement.

For Cincinnati, De La Cruz’s return would also influence how the rest of the infield is organized. When a team gets its primary shortstop back, it can simplify defensive pairings and reduce the strain on utility options who have been bridging a gap.

What to watch next is whether the Reds finalize the reinstatement process on the expected timeline and how De La Cruz looks in his first games back, including his availability for consecutive starts and whether he is used in a way that protects the hamstring while still allowing him to function as a full-impact player.