Chase Burns Combines With Elly De La Cruz To Lead Reds' Young Core

Chase Burns teamed up with Elly De La Cruz to provide over 10 WAR for the Cincinnati Reds on a minimal payroll during the 2026 season. While Burns and De La Cruz established themselves as foundational young talents, the team ultimately floundered in last place due to widespread roster deficiencies and a failure to adequately address obvious weaknesses, underscoring the difficulties of capitalizing on surprise breakout stars.