The Yankees have spent another season staring at the same dead end, and if they want a real jolt, Elly De La Cruz is the kind of name that changes the conversation instantly.
The buzz around New York has been pretty underwhelming so far. The club is said to be looking for a better fit behind the plate than Ali Sanchez rather than chasing a new starter in Austin Wells’ place.
There’s also chatter that Ryan McMahon could be moved, but the accompanying note is that the Yankees are unlikely to go after Japanese star Teruaki Sato. None of that exactly screams shake-up.
Then Joey Votto stepped in with a view that should catch the Yankees’ attention.
“I would trade Elly [De La Cruz] for as many prospects as possible to start," Votto told AJ Pierzynski on the Foul Territory podcast. "Elly's going to get $650 million.
Even if he doesn't get that number, he's 50 to 60 per year times seven, just to start. You know, let's say the CBA changes things; he's making $350 million over the course of seven years, minimum, six years minimum.
Are you going to give up half or a third of your payroll on one player? It doesn't make sense."
That’s not just idle talk from an outsider. The Reds already tried to lock De La Cruz up with an extension offer in the spring of 2025, reportedly above the 10-year, $225 million deal they gave Votto in April of 2012.
De La Cruz turned it down quickly, and his stock has only climbed since then. He’s now viewed as a possible $700 million player.
The dollars are only part of the story. De La Cruz is entering arbitration for the first time and is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make $7.9 million in 2027, up from $800K in 2026. Even before anyone starts talking about a long-term extension or free agency, his price tag is only going to keep rising for Cincinnati.
And the numbers on the field back up the hype. De La Cruz put together his first 30-30 season in 2026 and hit .283/.365/.515, all career bests.
His 11.3% walk rate was also a personal high. He’d carried a career .607 OPS against lefties into the season, but after a rough history versus southpaws, he turned that weakness into a strength and finished with a .990 OPS against them this year.
The finish was loud, too. In September, he hit .348/.437/.719 with nine homers in 24 games, and he did it while dealing with a bum quad.
At 24, he’s still far from finished. He’s also almost a full year younger than Spencer Jones, which only underscores how much runway remains. His physical tools jump off the page: six-foot-six, an average exit velocity of 94.7 miles per hour in 2026, a 92 mile-per-hour average arm, and the kind of speed that makes his size look unfair.
There’s a reason his name feels so different from the usual trade chatter. De La Cruz is the sort of player who could slot in behind Aaron Judge for the next couple of seasons, then eventually become the face of the Yankees once Judge’s time as the centerpiece winds down. He is that young, and that gifted.
If Cincinnati really follows Votto’s logic and puts him in play, the Yankees should treat the pursuit like a full-court press. George Lombard Jr. would have to be on the table.
So would Spencer Jones. If it takes Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange, so be it.
For a player like this, nobody should be untouchable.
New York would still have a strong base with Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler, and the Red Sox reportedly already poked around on De La Cruz at the trade deadline. That alone should push the Yankees to go big. If the opportunity is there, this is the kind of move that can reshape everything.
In Other News...
Yankees Are Suddenly Eyeing An Astros Infield Fix After October Failure
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If Pena proves too difficult to pry loose, Isaac Paredes offers a more practical fallback for a club that could still use help at third base. Christian Walker is also part of the conversation, but the fit is much shakier because of his age, salary and recent performance, which makes him a far less appealing swing for a Yankees team that needs a cleaner solution than another big gamble. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Prospect Dax Kilby Is Making A Future Infield Decision Real
Dax Kilbys first full stretch in pro ball has already given the Yankees a reason to keep watching closely. The clubs top 2025 draft pick missed much of the 2026 season with hamstring injuries, but when he got back on the field in Tampa he showed why his bat has been such an appealing part of his profile, putting together a strong return at the same level and carrying that into the Arizona Fall League.
What has made Kilby especially interesting is the way the Yankees are reshaping his offensive game to fit what comes next. He has worked to improve pitch recognition and cut down on ground balls, and the early results in Arizona have only sharpened the conversation about where he fits long term. Second base has emerged as a possible future landing spot, but for now the organization is getting a clearer look at just how real that path could be. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Finally Have A Real Answer At Third Base
Third base has been a sore spot for the Yankees this season, and that alone makes Isaac Paredes a name worth monitoring. His situation with the Astros is at least part of the reason the conversation has started: Houston has a reported $13.35 million club option for 2027 on the table, and while the expectation is that the Astros will exercise it, their crowded infield could complicate the picture.
For the Yankees, the fit is obvious enough to at least imagine what it would look like if Houston ever decided to move in a different direction. There have been no reported negotiations between the clubs, and any real movement would hinge on roster strategy and contract math, but Paredes stands out as the kind of player who could change the equation at a position where New York has not gotten enough offense. [Read more 🡒]