CINCINNATI (AP) — Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday and could return to Cincinnati’s lineup early next week if all goes well.

De La Cruz — who has been sidelined since June 1 due to a right hamstring strain — will rehab with Triple-A Louisville, which is at Gwinnett this week. Manager Terry Francona said before Tuesday’s game against the New York Mets that De La Cruz expected to join the Bats on Thursday, play five innings at shortstop on Friday, be the designated hitter on Saturday and have a full game at shortstop on Sunday.

De La Cruz had another workout before Tuesday’s game and could run the bases before the Reds face the Mets on Wednesday afternoon.

Francona said the earliest De La Cruz could be activated is on June 23 against Milwaukee.

De La Cruz left the May 31 game against the Atlanta Braves with right hamstring tightness after he had a base hit in the fifth inning. He had a streak of appearing in 276 consecutive games snapped, the sixth-longest streak for a Reds player in the expansion era (since 1961). His streak began on July 30, 2024.

Before going on the injured list, De La Cruz was batting .280 with 12 home runs.

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