The Cincinnati Reds closed out a 2026 season that fell well short of the contention window they had hoped to open.
With a young core already in place, the club still found itself searching for answers, and the long-term status of franchise shortstop Elly De La Cruz has become the central question hanging over the organization.
De La Cruz, under team control through 2029, turned down a contract extension last spring that would have made him the highest-paid player in franchise history.
That decision, paired with the reality that a free-agent deal in 2029 could approach or exceed half a billion dollars, has forced Cincinnati to confront an uncomfortable truth: the Reds almost certainly cannot retain him at market value.
Trading him while three seasons of control remain would be painful, yet it may also represent the only realistic path to restocking the system and building a sustainable contender for the years after he departs.
According to Christopher Kline of FanSided, the only package the Reds should seriously consider involves a blockbuster with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Kline argues that Cincinnati would need a historic return comparable to the haul the Nationals received for Juan Soto, and he outlines a deal that sends De La Cruz to Los Angeles in exchange for four of the Dodgers’ top seven prospects: outfielder Eduardo Quintero, infielder Emil Morales, right-hander Christian Zazueta, and outfielder James Tibbs III.
From the Reds’ perspective, that collection of talent offers a blend of near-term impact and long-range upside that few other organizations could match.
Tibbs posted 30 home runs and a .941 OPS in Triple-A and could compete for a major-league role almost immediately, giving Cincinnati an offensive boost while the rest of the group develops.
Quintero, still only 21 and already producing at Double-A, brings center-field athleticism, on-base skills, and speed that could help the club as soon as next spring.
Morales, a 20-year-old with substantial power and a chance to stick at shortstop, supplies a potential long-term replacement up the middle, while Zazueta adds a high-upside arm whose command and three-pitch mix project him as a rotation piece within a couple of years.
Together, the four would meaningfully elevate Cincinnati’s farm system and give the front office multiple avenues to address needs across the roster.
Such a trade would not guarantee a championship window in 2027 or 2028, but it would acknowledge the financial constraints of a mid-market club and convert De La Cruz’s remaining control into controllable talent that can grow with the organization.
For the Reds, the calculation is straightforward: if the alternative is watching their cornerstone walk for nothing in three seasons, a Dodgers package of this scale may be the rare offer worth entertaining.
