There were times this summer when every at-bat from Elly De La Cruz felt like must-see TV. But as the Cincinnati Reds season has dragged into September, that thunder has gone quiet. The team is stuck in the middle of a frustrating power outage, and perhaps most jarring of all — their young star has been caught in the middle of it.
De La Cruz, who swatted 25 home runs in his first full big-league season, looked destined to top that mark with ease in 2025. As of September 12, he was stalled at 19 home runs.
On paper, that still feels within reach, but the reality is tougher to ignore: he hasn’t hit one since July 31.