The Cincinnati Reds enter another offseason knowing their most electric player might not be here forever.
Elly De La Cruz just finished a season that included his first 30-30 campaign and a scorching September that earned him National League Player of the Month honors, yet the organization still has not locked him up long-term.
He remains under team control through 2029, but the clock is ticking on a player who has already turned down what would have been the largest contract in franchise history, surpassing Joey Votto’s deal.
That reality has teams circling. The Seattle Mariners, looking to make a significant push after several seasons of cautious prospect management, have been linked to the switch-hitting shortstop in speculative trade scenarios, via Zachary Rymer of Sodo Mojo.
Reports indicate the Reds were open to listening on De La Cruz at the trade deadline, and at least one club, the Boston Red Sox, made a run that Cincinnati rejected because it lacked the young major-league talent or near-ready prospects the Reds are said to require.
With De La Cruz represented by Scott Boras and arbitration salary projected around $7.9 million for 2027, the Reds face the familiar small-market calculation: keep riding a generational talent at a relative bargain for the next few years, or explore a haul that could accelerate the next wave.
Any serious package from Seattle would have to reflect that standard.
Rymer feels that a package including a combination of high-upside arms such as Ryan Sloan or Kade Anderson along with position-player prospects like Michael Arroyo, Jonny Farmelo, Felnin Celesten, or Nick Becker could at least catch Cincinnati’s attention.
Those are the kinds of pieces that could help a Reds club still building around younger cores and looking for impact that arrives sooner rather than later.
Cincinnati’s front office has been clear in the past that it would take an overpay—preferably involving players who have already reached or are close to the majors—to even start a conversation. A pure prospect dump is unlikely to move the needle.
From the Reds’ side, the decision is less about whether De La Cruz is available and more about timing and leverage. Trading him this winter would maximize the three seasons of control remaining and potentially bring back talent that aligns better with the rest of the roster’s window.
Holding him through at least part of 2027 or 2028 keeps the lineup’s best player in place while the organization tries to contend around him, then potentially extracts even more if a contender gets desperate.
Either path carries risk. Move him too early and the fan base loses its face of the franchise with little immediate return on the field. Wait too long and the return shrinks as free agency approaches.
For now, the Reds hold the cards. They know De La Cruz’s combination of power, speed, and arm strength makes him one of the most valuable young position players in the game, with roughly 19.7 fWAR already on his résumé.
They also know the payroll realities of their market make a true mega-extension difficult.
Whether Seattle or another club ultimately meets the asking price remains to be seen, but the conversation itself underscores the tension every small-market club faces when a star outgrows the room.
