Elly De La Cruz keeps finding ways to make the Dodgers part of the conversation.
The Reds star has already done his damage at Dodger Stadium, including that May 2024 game when he went 4-for-4 and stole four bases. Afterward, he called Los Angeles, "my city."
That line has aged into something more interesting now that the offseason is here and De La Cruz’s future keeps looming larger. He turns 25 in January, is entering his first offseason of arbitration eligibility, and won’t reach free agency until the 2030 season if he gets there at all. He also passed on a spring training extension before the 2025 season, one that would have been the largest in Reds history and topped Joey Votto’s 10-year, $225 million deal.
“We made Elly an offer that would’ve made him the highest-paid Red ever,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said last year. “That’s not where he is and you respect that.
It’s their career. You keep going and you keep working on what you can do today.”
Cincinnati has not shown any sign it wants to move him. But after a 75-87 season that left the Reds last in the National League Central, Votto floated a wild idea on social media during the postseason: a one-for-one swap that would send De La Cruz to Los Angeles for Dodgers top prospect Josue De Paula.
It is the kind of trade proposal that sounds absurd at first glance. De La Cruz just posted a 2026 season with 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases and an .880 OPS, after going for 25 homers, 67 steals and an .809 OPS in 2024.
He is also an elite defensive shortstop, with his Outs Above Average ranking in the 92nd percentile and his arm strength in the 91st percentile. At this point, he is a rare five-tool force who is still nowhere near his peak.
But De Paula has pushed his way into the same kind of conversation. The 21-year-old put together a massive year at Double-A Tulsa, hitting .303 with 27 home runs, 104 RBIs and a .948 OPS in 124 games.
He also swiped 31 bases, drew 81 walks and struck out only 87 times. Then came a September promotion, where he hit .323/.500/.581 with five extra-base hits, 11 walks, five strikeouts and a 1.081 OPS over 11 big-league games.
His three postseason plate appearances included two walks, a small sample that still fits the same profile: advanced strike-zone control and real offensive upside. The Dodgers are working to improve his defense so he can handle left field, though another team could view him as a full-time DH and let the bat carry the load.
A De La Cruz-for-De Paula deal is still a long shot, and probably will be for a while. But the fact that Votto could even toss it out says plenty about how highly De Paula is regarded - and how much star power the Dodgers’ 21-year-old rookie already carries.
In Other News...
Reds Prospect Alfredo Duno Is Giving Fans Another Reason To Be Excited
Alfredo Duno is keeping the buzz going in winter ball, and the Reds top catching prospect has given Cincinnati fans another reminder of why he is such an intriguing name to watch. The 20-year-old has played in seven of eight games for Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League, handling the catching duties while continuing to show the kind of offensive promise that made him one of the organizations most talked-about young players.
Duno, signed by Cincinnati in January 2023, has had injuries slow some of his defensive development, but the bat has kept pushing him into the conversation. His latest stretch at the plate only adds to that momentum, giving the Reds another reason to be optimistic about a player whose long-term value could hinge on how much progress he keeps making behind the plate. [Read more 🡒]
Reds May Need A More Painful Reset Than Fans Expected
Cincinnatis long-running search for a clearer path back to contention has now turned into a broader conversation about what kind of reset the front office can actually sell. Bob Castellini has already made it clear that ownership wants answers about why the Reds have not matched the kind of sustained success Milwaukee has found, and the discussion around this team keeps circling back to the same point: the people at the top have real control over the trades and roster direction that shape the next few seasons.
That makes the coming offseason feel more consequential than a routine tune-up. The Reds may have to weigh a more deliberate rebuild, the sort of course correction the Cardinals have leaned into before, while also deciding how aggressively to keep pushing with a younger core and which veterans fit into that picture. Even beyond the winter, there is a sense that more of the organizational structure could be reviewed in the years ahead, with the possibility of a different general manager after 2027 hanging over the franchise. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Just Got A Clear Lesson In How To Build A Contender
The Reds and Royals arrived at the same disappointing destination in 2026, both buried at the bottom of their divisions and battling the same familiar problems with scoring and pitching. But Kansas City managed to separate itself in one important area, and it was not by luck or a quick fix. The Royals turned a weak season into a clearer blueprint by leaning on defense, with a roster built through scouting and player development that gave them a sturdier foundation than the standings suggested.
For Cincinnati, that is the part worth studying. If the Reds want to move from trying to patch holes to actually building something durable, the lesson goes beyond adding another bat or chasing short-term help. It starts with developing more complete players, especially in the infield, and creating the kind of defensive reliability that can hold up even when the offense and pitching are uneven. [Read more 🡒]