Elly De La Cruz's bat is on fire as the Reds host the Twins on June 17, 2025. Can ace Andrew Abbott shut down Minnesota and continue Cincy's best month?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The Cincinnati Reds are back home and riding a wave of momentum, and its name is Elly De La Cruz. As the team opens a crucial three-game series against the Minnesota Twins, all eyes are on the electrifying shortstop, whose bat has been nothing short of a flamethrower, single-handedly fueling the team's most successful month of the season.
During the Reds' recent 4-2 road trip, Elly De La Cruz hit .462 with four home runs, six RBIs, and eight runs scored.
You can't overstate how dominant Elly De La Cruz has been. Coming off a 4-2 road trip, his numbers look like something out of a video game: a .462 batting average, four homers, six RBIs, and eight runs scored in just six games. He capped the trip with a monster performance in an 8-4 win over the Tigers, where he homered, scored three times, and drove in three. This isn't just a hot streak; it's a statement. For a team searching for offensive consistency, De La Cruz is providing stability and explosive power, making every at-bat a must-see event.
While Elly's bat provides the fireworks, the Reds are sending their ace to the mound to start the series. Southpaw Andrew Abbott has been spectacular this season, boasting a 6-1 record and a minuscule 1.87 ERA. He gives the Reds a clear advantage against the Twins' David Festa (1-1, 4.76 ERA). With Abbott dealing and hitters like Gavin Lux providing a steady presence (.316 AVG, .419 OBP), the Reds are perfectly positioned to kick off this homestand with a victory.
The current state of the Reds is a fascinating tale of two teams. The organization's draft-and-develop strategy has paid off handsomely on the mound, with the homegrown trio of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott forming a formidable rotation. The offense, however, remains a work in progress. Outside of the consistency from De La Cruz and TJ Friedl, other young cornerstones like Spencer Steer and Matt McLain have been struggling to find their rhythm. This dichotomy makes Elly's current surge not just exciting, but absolutely essential.
Thanks in large part to the heroics of De La Cruz and the steady pitching, June has been the Reds' best month by a wide margin. The team has posted a 6-3 record for a .667 winning percentage, a surge that has pulled them back into the thick of the NL Central race. This positive trend has infused the club with a sense of purpose as they look to prove they are contenders, not pretenders, heading into the summer months.
As the Reds navigate this pivotal stretch, they find themselves at a crossroads. Hovering around .500, this series against the Twins could set the tone for the weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Will the offense find its footing to support the stellar rotation? Can Elly De La Cruz maintain this superhuman pace? With top pitching prospects like Chase Burns and Chase Petty knocking on the door, the rest of June promises to be a revealing and exciting chapter in the Reds' 2025 season.
