Author: Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer

De La Cruz said he received the Home Run Derby invitation over the weekend through his agent and came close to accepting before talking it through.

Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz has been called everything from a “unicorn” to “beast” in a 15-game career. Joey Votto calls him “a young Mickey Mantle.”

The Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto, back from a shoulder injury, homered in his first game since Aug. 16 of last year.