Reds' Elly De La Cruz Reveals How Much Weight He Added, Shows Off Muscle in Video, Photo

Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz spent his offseason getting stronger.

The shortstop told FOX 19's Jeremy Rauch that he's put on 12 pounds over the offseason to "be stronger for every day in MLB." He's also coming into the 2026 campaign more fired up than ever to find postseason success.

"Now, I know how it feels. We've got a chance (to win big)," he told Rauch.

Even after struggling in the second half (as he dealt with a quad injury), De La Cruz is coming off a strong third campaign in which he collected 22 home runs, 86 RBI and 37 stolen bases while slashing .264/.336/.440. Behind De La Cruz's efforts, the Reds finished 83-79 to reach the postseason for the first time since 2020. Their playoff run was short-lived, however, as they lost to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in two games in the wild-card series.

Clearly De La Cruz was motivated heading into the offseason. If his teammates were just as fired up, the Reds could be in for a big year.