Elly De La Cruz missing RedsFest is notable but another absence raises big questions

RedsFest is back, but the Cincinnati Reds superstar will not be in attendance. The Reds released a list of players who'll be attending the annual fan-focused event, and shortstop Elly De La Cruz was not among them.

While this is sure to be disappointing news for the fans who were hoping to get pictures with Elly and ask him to sign autographs, it's somewhat common for the foreign-born players to remain in their home country throughout the offseason. Noelvi Marte is not scheduled to appear either.

But while De La Cruz and Marte's absences can be explained away by possible travel complications, the same cannot be said for Brady Singer. The Reds starter is not listed among the attendees either, and with the recent rumblings that Singer could be traded this offseason, one has wonder if he'll still be on the roster when RedsFest begins in less than two weeks.

Reds Rumors: Brady Singer's absence from RedsFest raises questions about his future in Cincinnati

Though sometimes it's difficult for fans to understand, athletes have lives away from the field. As such, Singer and his family may have preplanned vacation or celebration that coincides with RedsFest, or a prior commitment prevents him from attending the event.

But fans are prone to speculation, and Singer's absence is certainly noteworthy. While Cincinnati's top decision-makers have constantly dismissed the idea of trading one of their starting pitchers this offseason, making such a move represents the easiest way for the Reds to upgrade their lineup heading into the 2026 season. The Reds have an abundance of starting pitchers, and Singer is expected to be the highest-paid of the bunch.

The deadline to exchange arbitration figures is this Thursday, so Reds fans will find out in short order just how much money Singer stands to make in 2026. MLB Trade Rumors estimates the hurler to take home close to $12 million during the final year of arbitration.

Recent Reds rumors revealed that Cincinnati has no plans to trade from the trio of Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and Nick Lodolo, but sources suggest that moving one of their backend starters is becoming a growing possibility. That includes Singer.

Starting pitching is quite the commodity this offseason, and parting with Singer could surely help net an impact bat. It would weaken the Reds rotation, however, and with so many unproven arms on the pitching staff, trading away their most durable starter is quite the gamble.

It should be noted that the list of RedsFest attendees is for players whose travel arrangements have been confirmed and is always subject to change; meaning both Singer and De La Cruz could still be part of the festivities on January 16 and 17. At the moment, however, both players are not slated to be in attendance.