Pete Crow-Armstrong just gave the Cubs a problem every team wants: how to keep a young star from getting away. The answer, at least in Chicago, already arrived in the form of a six-year extension that now looks like one of the most team-friendly deals in the sport. With an average annual salary of less than $20 million, the Cubs are set to enjoy his all-around game for the next six seasons.
That kind of setup stands in sharp contrast to what’s brewing next door in the NL Central. The Reds have their own MVP-caliber centerpiece in Elly De La Cruz, but their situation doesn’t come with the same comfort. He has been one of the best shortstops in baseball in recent years, yet there’s a real sense that Cincinnati may not be able to hold onto him.
Joey Votto put that tension into blunt terms. In response to the financial reality facing the Reds, he said, "Are you going to give up a half or a third of your payroll on one player?
It doesn't make sense." He added that he would trade Elly De La Cruz for "as many prospects as possible."
That’s not coming from a place of resentment. Votto, who remains the Reds’ franchise record holder with a $225 million deal over 10 years, understands exactly what kind of contract a player like De La Cruz is headed toward.
Cincinnati already made De La Cruz an offer that topped Votto’s own deal, and he turned it down. Since then, De La Cruz has piled up 52 homers and 67 stolen bases over the last two seasons.
And the production keeps piling up. De La Cruz is about to hit arbitration for the first time, and his next contract is expected to cost a fortune. Since 2024, he ranks sixth among all players with 17.8 fWAR, bringing the same kind of power, speed and defense that has made Crow-Armstrong such a weapon for the Cubs.
For the Reds, the math is brutal. They’ve already lived through a stretch of limited success, making the playoffs just twice since 2014 and getting swept in the Wild Card Round both times. Even after a playoff appearance last year, they slid back to the bottom of the NL Central in 2026.
That’s why the conversation around De La Cruz has shifted from extension hopes to a far tougher question: if Cincinnati can’t pay him, is the smarter move to trade him now and stockpile prospects and young players who could help them beyond 2029, the final year he remains under team control? The upcoming lockout could alter the picture, but the Reds are staring at a familiar small-market problem, and the Cubs’ Crow-Armstrong deal only makes the contrast harder to ignore.
In Other News...
Cubs Suddenly Have More Urgency With Carson Kelly Than Expected
Carson Kellys decision to decline his mutual option for the 2027 season has put the Cubs in a position they may not have expected this soon. Chicago is reportedly interested in bringing him back, and because hes one of the few catchers available who could profile as a starting option for 2027, the market around him should be worth watching closely.
The timing adds an extra layer of urgency, with expectations that talks could move quickly before a potential lockout in December complicates the calendar. For the Cubs, this is more than a routine offseason decision for a familiar backstop. Its a chance to address a thin catching market early, but also a situation that could gain pace fast if other clubs decide Kelly is the best available answer behind the plate. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Fans May Not Love This New Seiya Suzuki Offseason Buzz
Jurickson Profars 162-game suspension has left the Braves suddenly staring at a major hole in left field as they head into the offseason, and the spot was already something of a revolving door last season. For Cubs fans keeping an eye on the market, the name at the center of the conversation is Seiya Suzuki, whose profile has started to pop up as a possible fit for Atlantas need.
Suzukis appeal is obvious even without the full picture of where the talks may lead. He has been productive enough to draw interest beyond Chicago, and his blend of offense and defense makes him the kind of player teams tend to circle when they are trying to stabilize a corner spot. For the Cubs, it is the sort of offseason buzz that naturally catches attention because once a player starts showing up in another clubs plans, the questions about his own future only get louder. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Suddenly Face Two Costly Offseason Holes
The Cubs have already run into their first real offseason roster questions, and they come with a little more urgency than usual. Matthew Boyd, the left-handed starter who missed part of the 2026 season after knee surgery but still pitched well when he was on the mound, and Carson Kelly, the catcher who gave Chicago steady production on both sides of the ball, have both moved toward free agency after their mutual options were declined.
Boyds health record will make him a tricky call for any club, but his value when available was clear enough to keep him in demand. Kelly may be an even tougher name to replace, since a productive season behind the plate and at the plate usually points toward a multi-year market. For the Cubs, the question now is how much of that production they can realistically bring back before the rest of the winter starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]