Elly De La Cruz -- Fantasy Value

Elly De La Cruz is having an exceptional 2026 season, with surface statistics (.288 BA, 10 HR, 29 runs scored, 29 RBI, 9 SB) placing him on pace for NL MVP consideration. Among fantasy baseball shortstops, he ranks tied for most home runs and runs scored while placing in the top four for stolen bases, RBI, slugging percentage, WAR, and wRC+. The primary driver of his offensive improvement is a dramatic turnaround against left-handed pitching, traditionally his weakness. De La Cruz's career batting average against southpaws was .220 with a wRC+ never exceeding 64. This season, he sports a .286/.326/.667 triple slash against lefties with a wRC+ of 163—a transformation of historic proportions. His home run production against left-handed pitchers has similarly surged, with his HR/FB rate climbing from a 13.97% career average to 35.7% in 2026. Hitting coach Chris Valaika has implemented mechanical adjustments to De La Cruz's swing as a switch hitter, including a shortened right-handed swing and controlled leg kick. These adjustments enable De La Cruz to see the ball longer and make better swing decisions against off-speed pitches. The improvements in barrel rate, hard-hit percentage, average launch angle, and fly-ball rates support the sustainability of his power gains and suggest these mechanical changes represent a structural improvement rather than a small-sample anomaly.