Elly De La Cruz exited the Cincinnati Reds’ game against the Atlanta Braves in the fifth inning on Sunday, May 31, after reporting right hamstring tightness. The shortstop said he pulled up to avoid a serious injury, and manager Terry Francona said De La Cruz
CINCINNATI — In the middle of the fifth inning on Sunday, May 31, Elly De La Cruz ran hard, felt something was off, and pulled up before he could fully turn that moment into what would have been one more extra-base hit.
The Cincinnati Reds announced after the play that the shortstop left their game against the Atlanta Braves with right hamstring tightness. Manager Terry Francona told reporters afterwards that De La Cruz would have an MRI on the leg Monday.
De La Cruz later explained to reporters that he felt the issue as he ran to first and pulled up because he wanted to avoid a serious injury. On the at-bat that preceded his exit. he lined a ball into right-center field—contact that. in his typical rhythm. usually turns into more bases. Instead. he seemed to pull up and hobble a bit as he neared first base. then left the game with a trainer.
The timing lands with weight. De La Cruz has a well-documented history with his hamstring. He played through a torn quad in the second half of 2025. and the Reds revealed the extent of the damage after the season. Cincinnati also held him out of the World Baseball Classic because of concerns about the injury and to protect him for 2026.
What makes the situation sharper for the Reds is who De La Cruz is to them. At 24 years old. he’s the engine of the lineup—an electrifying presence the team relies on when everything else is slipping. He is a two-time All-Star and has 147 career stolen bases. This season, the 6-foot-6 switch-hitting shortstop is hitting .274 with 12 home runs and nine stolen bases.
The sequence of facts is hard to ignore: De La Cruz felt right hamstring tightness in-game, pulled up to avoid something worse, and now will have an MRI Monday. The Reds didn’t provide any additional information or a timeline beyond that.
For a club already in trouble, the uncertainty is its own kind of pressure. The Reds entered Sunday’s game in last place in the National League Central. They had won just nine of their last 26 games. and they were coming off losing three straight heading into the match against the Braves. Any extended loss of De La Cruz—especially if the hamstring becomes a broader problem than “tightness”—would pull an already reeling team further back.
For now, the team waits for the MRI that Francona said will happen Monday, and the questions sit with the same clarity fans have felt all season: how much damage is there, and how quickly can it be turned into something manageable?
Elly De La Cruz Cincinnati Reds Atlanta Braves hamstring tightness MLB injury update Terry Francona MRI Monday National League Central standings stolen bases
Hamstring stuff is always scary like it’s either fine or season over. Hope it’s nothing.
If he’s out with a hamstring again I swear the Reds just can’t catch a break. I thought he was over that quad thing too? MLB injuries are brutal.
Wait… he pulled up to avoid a serious injury but then they still sent him for an MRI Monday. So like what, it was already serious but they’re pretending it’s just “tightness”? I don’t get it.
Reds in last place and now Elly might miss time… honestly that’s on them for keeping him out of the WBC, like they should’ve had him ready?? Also the headline makes it sound like he just like “left the game” but everyone knows hamstrings linger forever. If it’s worse than tightness this could wreck their whole lineup engine thing, whatever.