Cincinnati Reds News Roundup — August 31, 2026

The Reds defeated the Cubs 7-5 on Sunday Night Baseball, but the victory was tempered by an injury to shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who left the game in the seventh inning with left quad tightness. De La Cruz had gone 2-for-4 with a run scored before exiting, and manager Terry Francona indicated the injury may not be serious enough to sideline him entirely. The Reds will use De La Cruz as designated hitter in Monday's series opener against San Diego, with Matt McLain taking over at shortstop as a precautionary measure.

Cincinnati's offense produced four home runs to power the victory, with Hector Rodriguez hitting a three-run shot, Dane Myers and Tyler Stephenson each adding solo blasts, and Sal Stewart launching a 418-foot solo homer in the seventh. Chase Burns earned the win after allowing two earned runs over 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts, while Emilio Pagan recorded the save. The Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs in the loss, including a lead-off shot.

The game marked a historic milestone for the Reds' young core. Burns, Stewart, and De La Cruz became the first trio under age 25 on the same team to simultaneously achieve a pitcher with 15 or more wins, a hitter with 30 or more home runs and 100 or more RBIs, and a hitter with 20 or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases in a single season. Stewart's 31 home runs and 105 RBIs as a 22-year-old rookie place him in rare company alongside Albert Pujols, José Canseco, Ted Williams, and Hal Trosky as the fifth player in MLB history to record a 30-100 rookie season at that age or younger.

The Reds announced that left-handed pitcher Brandon Williamson will be activated from the injured list to start Wednesday against San Diego, marking his return after missing the entire 2025 season following Tommy John surgery. Williamson will initially piggyback Chase Burns' start on Monday as the team begins limiting the ace's workload down the stretch. The roster moves come as the Reds prepare for the final month of the season with their young talent on display.