The noise around Elly De La Cruz keeps getting louder, but the Reds don’t need to make a move just because the conversation has taken over the offseason.
Former Reds players have weighed in. National outlets have circled.
Teams interested in acquiring the two-time All-Star have even leaked into the discussion. And plenty of Cincinnati fans have jumped in too, arguing that the Reds’ small-market reality and uncertain direction make it unlikely De La Cruz will re-sign once he can reach free agency.
That argument has some weight. It still doesn’t make this the right moment to deal him.
De La Cruz is under Reds control through 2030, and even with the future of Major League Baseball up in the air, he should still be in Cincinnati when the 2027 season opens. If the Reds are eventually going to move him, the smarter play is to wait until at least 2029, see where the club stands competitively, and squeeze every last bit of value out of him while he’s still wearing red.
If Cincinnati wants any real shot at being a winning team in 2027, De La Cruz has to be part of the plan. That may not sound likely, and there’s a reason people feel that way, but the Reds should be willing to take that bet. Replacing him won’t be simple, even with all the shortstops in the organization.
The problem is that the in-house options haven’t exactly forced the issue. Edwin Arroyo got his chance this year when De La Cruz landed on the IL, and he posted a .549 OPS in 160 plate appearances.
Matt McLain, who is naturally a shortstop, has formed a strong double-play pairing with De La Cruz at second base, but since his shoulder injury in 2024, he has struggled at the plate over the last two seasons. Noelvi Marte has shifted to right field, and while he has flashed talent, he still hasn’t done enough to build real confidence in his major league future.
There’s talent in the farm system, but none of the shortstops are knocking on the big league door yet. Steele Hall and Justin LeBron, the Reds’ first-round picks in the last two MLB Drafts, have shown promise, but both are still in Single-A. Tyson Lewis, Eric Becker, and Liberts Aponte are also shortstops, and none of them have moved beyond Single-A either.
Then there’s the return question. If the Reds do decide to trade De La Cruz, can this front office be trusted to maximize the haul?
Since the 2022 MLB lockout, the trade returns have been underwhelming. Outside of Spencer Steer, it’s tough to point to many deals that brought back a sure everyday major leaguer or a pitcher who can consistently get outs.
That doesn’t mean Cincinnati should never trade De La Cruz. Getting something back is obviously better than settling for a Compensatory draft pick.
But patience makes the most sense here. With team control all the way through 2030, the Reds should make the most of the time they still have with one of baseball’s best players.
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Reds Bullpen Decision Just Got More Interesting With Francona Weighing In
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Pagns 2026 campaign was a reminder of both the risk and the reward that come with bullpen arms. He had a rough start before settling in after returning from injury, and that late surge is part of why the Reds would like to keep the conversation going. For a team trying to stabilize the back end of games, his market now becomes one of the more interesting subplots of the winter. [Read more 🡒]
Sal Stewart Put Cincinnati In Position For Another Rookie Honor
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The competition now shifts to the managers and coaches who will vote in the coming weeks, and Stewarts case is an interesting one. He brings the kind of production that jumps out quickly, while the advanced numbers suggest a more complicated comparison with the rest of the field, leaving the final decision to how evaluators balance raw output against overall offensive efficiency. [Read more 🡒]
Two Reds Bats Just Put Cincinnati In The Silver Slugger Spotlight
Major League Baseballs Silver Slugger finalists list gave the Reds a notable boost, with Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart both landing among the leagues top bats at their positions. De La Cruz is in the shortstop mix, while Stewart earned a spot as a utility finalist, a reminder that Cincinnatis lineup is starting to draw real national recognition beyond just the box scores.
The winners will be determined by MLB managers and coaches, which gives the honor a different kind of weight than a fan vote or a hot streak. For the Reds, having two players in the conversation is the kind of late-season recognition that reflects both star power and lineup depth, with the final call still to come later this month. [Read more 🡒]