CINCINNATI -- Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz doesn't like sitting on the bench, and he really hates missing games. De La Cruz played 162 games -- with 161 starts -- during the 2025 season, the first player for Cincinnati to play every game in a year since Joey Votto did it in '17.

Considering that the switch-hitting De La Cruz plays a highly demanding position and is often stealing bases and sliding, it was a feat that deserved recognition. But was not missing a game always best for him? Would it be better for him and the Reds to get an occasional day off to keep him fresher and more productive overall?

“We’ve talked about that," president of baseball operations Nick Krall said when asked after Cincinnati's season ended. "Maybe he got tired toward the middle of the season, and it caugh

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