CINCINNATI (AP) 鈥� Reds shortstop could go on a rehab assignment this weekend if the next couple of days go according to plan.
De La Cruz 鈥� who has been sidelined since June 1 due to a right hamstring strain 鈥� ran the bases and took some infield grounders before Monday night’s game against the New York Mets. He will run the bases again on Tuesday before a final decision is made.
Manager Terry Francona said the likely rehab assignment would be to Triple-A Louisville, which is at Gwinnett this week. The Reds’ Single-A affiliate in Dayton is also on the road this week.
鈥淚 mean Triple-A is always probably the best because of competition, but trying to work through just what鈥檚 the easiest,鈥� Francona said.
De La Cruz left the May 31 game against the Atlanta Braves with right hamstring tightness after he had a base hit in the fifth inning. He had a streak of appearing in 276 consecutive games snapped, the sixth-longest streak for a Reds player in the expansion era (since 1961). His streak began on July 30, 2024.
Before going on the injured list, De La Cruz was batting .280 with 12 home runs.
鈥淲e鈥檝e talked to him several times because the one thing I don鈥檛 want him to ever feel is one that we鈥檙e not listening to him and two that we don鈥檛 want him to play. We鈥檙e dying for him to play,鈥� Francona said. “I just don鈥檛 think you can do what鈥檚 right when it鈥檚 convenient. That鈥檚 the best way and I think down deep, I think he understands. I just think he wants to play desperately and I respect that a lot. He really just wants to play.鈥�
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