The Cincinnati Reds, to the surprise of many, are actually trying.
They have a 27-33 record, which is not so great but is much, much better than what they did last year.
They are just 5.5 games out of the first place in the NL Central, and they, ladies and gentleman, are going for it.
They recently called up 2021 draftee Matt McLain and he has been thriving.
They also brought up left-hander Andrew Abbott and he excelled in his first MLB start on Monday.
And now, on Tuesday, they gave fans what they were hoping for: they called up shortstop Elly De La Cruz from Triple-A Louisville.
There are some swing-and-miss concerns in his game, but there is also the potential for a five-tool player right out of the gate.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that De La Cruz’s tool are as loud as those of fellow infielder Oneil Cruz.
He is not just one of the best prospects in the game: he is also one of the most exciting arrivals in recent memory.
Fans are hyped.
This guy is gonna be a star
— ZFARM (@ZFarm__) June 6, 2023
Elly De La Cruz is going to challenge Corbin Carroll for #ROY
— Adam (@Quadszilla91) June 6, 2023
Elly De La Cruz SZN!
— KJ The Rams Fan (@KJTheRamsFan) June 6, 2023
ELLY DE LA CRUZ!!! pic.twitter.com/ZKGOeu8LH1
— FreddyJ_BuckeyeGuy (@buckeyeguy0908) June 6, 2023
De La Cruz will probably take over as Cincinnati’s starting shortstop and be the face of their rebuild.
He is just 21 years old but was already having enormous success in Louisville, with an incredible .298/.398/.633 line with 12 homers and 11 stolen bases across 38 games.
He does strike out a lot, perhaps more than your average slugger, but he hits the ball so hard that he could, and should, initially find success anyway.
The Reds are going for it.
NEXT: Reds Announce The Arrival Of A Top Prospect
