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Reds' Elly De La Cruz Learning Japanese So He Can Talk with Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani

Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Cincinatti Reds infielder Elly De La Cruz says he is learning Japanese in order to chat with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani at the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

"I don't know if I'm gonna learn, but I'm trying," De La Cruz said.

If De La Cruz does pick up Japanese, it would not be the first time the 22-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has added a new language to his repertoire.

De La Cruz in March held a press conference in English for the first time after he said he put in "a lot of work" to practice to language.