In the midst of a make-or-break stretch of the season with three straight series against NL Central rivals, the Cincinnati Reds get their top player back from injury.
On Tuesday, June 23, the Reds officially activated two-time All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz from the injured list. De La Cruz has been out all month with a hamstring injury suffered against the Atlanta Braves on May 31.
More: Which Cincinnati Reds deserve MLB All-Star bids? We asked, they dished
More: Injured Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagán nearing return from IL
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
The OHSAA Div III State Champion Badin Rams are recognized before the first inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
The OHSAA Div III State Champion Badin Rams are recognized before the first inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
The OHSAA Div III State Champion Badin Rams are recognized before the first inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
The OHSAA Div III State Champion Badin Rams are recognized before the first inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
The OHSAA Div III State Champion Badin Rams are recognized before the first inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) catches a fly ball off the bat of Blake Dunn in the first inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) flies out in the first inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Spencer Steer (7) plays a ground ball off the bat of Joey Ortiz in the second inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brady Singer (51) returns to the dugout after the second inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Blake Dunn (59) flies out in the third inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds host Milwaukee Brewers | Photos from June 22
Cincinnati Reds left fielder JJ Bleday (22) strikes out swinging in the third inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, June 22, 2026. The game was scoreless after four innings.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz will jump right back into the lineup on Tuesday in the second game of the series against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. He’ll look to help a struggling offense that managed just two hits in a 2-1 extra innings loss in the series opener on Monday, June 22.
To make room for De La Cruz, the Reds optioned seldom-used outfielder Will Benson to Triple-A Louisville. Benson is hitting just .188 this season and has had just two pinch-hit at-bats over the last two weeks.
Prior to Monday’s loss, De La Cruz, Benson and Dane Myers took live at-bats against injured Reds’ closer Emilio Pagán, who is slated to begin a rehab assignment in Louisville this week.
Hunter Greene to make rehab assignment in Louisville Tuesday night
Joining Benson in Triple-A is Reds’ ace Hunter Greene. The Reds transferred Green’s rehab assignment to Louisville on Tuesday.
Greene is slated to start for the Bats against the St. Paul Saints at Slugger Field on Tuesday night.
Greene is on the comeback trail (elbow surgery/bone chips) toward his season debut after starting the year on the IL. The All-Star made a rehab start in Low A on Thursday, June 18, firing four shutout innings with six strikeouts for the ACL Reds in Arizona.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Elly De La Cruz is back, Will Benson, Hunter Green head to Louisville
