The Cincinnati Reds activated two-time All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned outfielder Will Benson to Triple-A Louisville.
De La Cruz, 24, went on the injured list for the first time in his four-year major league career after straining his right hamstring while running to first base in a home win against the Atlanta Braves on May 31. That ended his streak of 276 consecutive games played.
He batted .250 (2-for-8) with a home run in his three-game rehabilitation assignment at Louisville over the weekend.
De La Cruz is batting .280 with 12 homers, 37 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 58 games this season. He is a career .258 hitter with 72 home runs, 243 RBIs and 149 steals in 478 games with the Reds.
Benson, 28, last played on June 14 as a pinch hitter and struck out. He batted .188 (18-for-96) with three homers and six RBIs in 51 games this season. For his career, Benson is batting .221 with 40 homers and 124 RBIs in 405 games for the Cleveland Guardians (2022) and Reds (2023-26).
Reds closer Emilio Pagan, who has been on the IL since straining his left hamstring on May 4 in a loss to the host Chicago Cubs, threw his second live batting practice session on Monday. Pagan, 35, is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday at Louisville.
He is 2-1 with six saves, a 6.43 ERA, six walks and 11 strikeouts in 14 innings over 15 relief appearances. He is 30-28 with 71 saves and a 3.73 ERA in 492 games (two starts) for six teams since 2017.
