Elly De La Cruz learning Japanese to talk to Shohei Ohtani at All-Star Game

Elly De La Cruz has not only reached his first MLB All-Star game in just over a year after his initial call-up to the Cincinnati Reds , but the 22-year-old has also been drawing praise for his improvement in his English on and off the field.

De La Cruz, a Dominican Republic native, has done his interviews primarily in English since the beginning of the 2024 season. His next step?

"Learning Japanese to talk to Shohei [Ohtani] ," he told reporters Sunday.

Ohtani, like De La Cruz and many other foreign-born MLB stars, speaks some English but mainly uses a translator when speaking to fans and media members.

The Los Angeles Dodgers ' two-way superstar has continued to excel as a designated hitter in the first year of his record 10-year, $700 million contract while recovering from a torn UCL suffered last season that has prevented him from pitching this year. He will start for the National League at the DH spot in his fourth consecutive All-Star Game nod.

De La Cruz is a reserve who will likely see action in the game in relief for one of the Philadelphia Phillies duo of Trea Turner and Alec Bohm , who will start for the NL at shortstop and third base, respectively.

As for whether De La Cruz will attempt to pull out some Japanese phrases when he gets a chance to speak with Ohtani, that's still up in the air. "I don't know if I'm gonna learn [in time], but I'm trying," he said.

The 2024 MLB All-Star Game takes place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on July 16 ( 8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app ).

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