Elly De La Cruz is an All-Star for the first time, and he's planning to make the most of the opportunity.
De La Cruz told reporters after Sunday's roster reveal that he's looking forward to talking with Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani more than anything else — and he's going to great lengths to make sure they can understand each other.
"I'm learning Japanese to try to talk to Shohei," De La Cruz said. "I don't know if I'm going to learn, but I'm trying."
Elly De La Cruz was asked which player he is most looking forward to talking to at the All-Star Game.
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) July 7, 2024
He revealed he's learning Japanese to talk to Shohei Ohtani. pic.twitter.com/rXFJDp35gz
De La Cruz knows what it takes to learn a language, as English isn't his first language. Still, he prioritized learning the language and even made a point of holding a press conference entirely in English before the season.
Learning Japanese by next Tuesday's All-Star Game might be a stretch, but Ohtani himself speaks some English outside of public interviews. Whether through a translator or not, De La Cruz appears ready to soak in his time with Ohtani and absorb some of the insight that made the Japanese star a two-time MVP.
MORE: How fast is Elly De La Cruz?
The only ones not warmed by De La Cruz’s comments might be Reds fans, only because it’s not the first time the young shortstop has talked positively about the Dodgers or Los Angeles. De La Cruz told reporters earlier in the season that he performed so well at Dodger Stadium because Los Angeles is his city.
“Oh, that’s because this is my city. You already know this is my city, though," he said in May.
De La Cruz explained that Los Angeles was the first city he visited when he arrived in the U.S. and said he played enough Grand Theft Auto growing up to know the city well.
Reds fans have nothing but love for De La Cruz, whose resurgent June quickly erased memories of a May slump and propelled the 22-year-old to his first All-Star selection. Knowing how difficult it is for Cincinnati to compete with the Los Angeles market, though, there might already be some fears about whether the Dodgers can lure De La Cruz back to "his" city at some point in the future.
De La Cruz wouldn't be a free agent until after the 2029 season, but Ohtani will still have four more years remaining on his Dodgers deal at that point.
For now, however, De La Cruz will be representing Cincinnati at the All-Star Game, with future All-Star appearances very much in sight.