Dodgers fans may be dreaming big after Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss to Cincinnati, but the Reds’ position on Elly De La Cruz is a lot more grounded than the noise on social media.
That chatter picked up when Doug McKain of 97.1 The Fan in LA posted on X, “Mookie has done an incredible job holding it down at shortstop these past few years. He'll be 34 next season, and it might be time to move him back to second base sooner than later. I'd trade the farm including Josue De Paula for Elly De La Cruz (3 arb years left),” McKain wrote on social media.
It’s the kind of idea that gets fans buzzing, but the reality is simpler: De La Cruz is not going anywhere unless Cincinnati has no other choice. He still has three years of arbitration eligibility after the 2026 season, which means the Reds can keep an MVP-caliber shortstop at a number that sits well below market value. The source projects that he could land somewhere between $6-$8 million through arbitration next season, a figure that would look tiny compared with what he’d command as a free agent.
That’s why the Reds’ best path is to hold tight. De La Cruz is already the kind of player a franchise builds around, and the source points to Sal Stewart as a likely NL Rookie of the Year along with ace Chase Burns as part of the core. The bigger issue in Cincinnati has been the front office’s failure to put the right pieces around that group.
The argument from the source is blunt: the Reds need a new voice in charge this winter, someone who can evaluate talent and spend enough to give De La Cruz and the rest of the roster a real chance to contend in 2027 and 2028. If 2029 arrives and Cincinnati still isn’t anywhere near a World Series run, then maybe the conversation changes.
There’s also precedent for staying patient. The Detroit Tigers had trade talk around Tarik Skubal during spring training this past season, but they kept him and entered the 2026 season intending to compete. Things didn’t break their way, and Detroit still ended up getting a strong return when they flipped Skubal to the Dodgers at the trade deadline.
That’s the kind of route the Reds are expected to follow with De La Cruz. His trade value is hard to pin down, and with impending CBA negotiations, there may even be a path for Cincinnati to lock him into a long-term deal.
For now, though, the answer is the same: De La Cruz remains a Cincinnati Red, no matter how loudly Dodgers fans keep asking for him.
In Other News...
Reds Front Office Debate Just Got Real For Nick Krall
A disappointing 2026 season has pushed the Reds into a familiar but uncomfortable place, with the front office now drawing as much scrutiny as the roster. Nick Krall, the clubs president of baseball operations, is believed to be on the hot seat as Cincinnati sits with a losing record and near the bottom of the division, a spot that tends to sharpen every decision about where the organization is headed next.
The discussion has already moved beyond simple frustration and into succession planning, with assistant general managers Matt Forman of the Guardians and Matt Kleine of the Brewers among the names being mentioned. For a team that has been trying to turn a promising core into a more consistent winner, the question is no longer just what went wrong this season, but whether the next reset will begin in the front office. [Read more 🡒]
Elly De La Cruz Just Turned One Wild Night Into A Bigger Reds Conversation
Elly De La Cruz spent one electrifying night doing what has made him such a fascinating part of the Reds future: turning impossible-looking plays into routine conversation starters. Against the Dodgers, he fired a 105.3 mph throw from the outfield to home plate to cut down Teoscar Hernndez and erase what could have become an inside-the-park home run, then backed it up by driving in runs of his own with a two-run homer and a double.
What stood out wasnt just the highlight, but the way De La Cruz kept leaving his imprint on the game from different angles. Statcast said the throw was the hardest by any fielder this season, and the Reds keep seeing why his blend of speed, arm strength and raw power can change the feel of a night in a hurry, even against one of baseballs toughest lineups. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Sale Buzz Runs Into One Huge Ownership Reality
The chatter around a possible Reds sale picked up after Bob Nightengale reported that some rival owners believe Cincinnati could be the next Major League Baseball team to change hands following the Angels sale. It is the kind of buzz that tends to follow a club with a frustrated fan base, and in this case it comes with an added wrinkle inside the ownership structure, since Bob Castellini is no longer the controlling owner and Phil Castellini assumed that role in early 2024.
For now, though, the speculation still appears to be just that. There is no current indication the Reds ownership group is preparing to sell the franchise, even as some fans continue to call for a new direction. The broader picture could get more complicated later, especially if future labor negotiations push owners to reassess their positions, but at the moment there is no sign Cincinnati is actually heading toward a sale. [Read more 🡒]