Reds asking price would quickly make Red Sox regret their trade interest in Elly De La Cruz

The Boston Red Sox engaged the Cincinnati Reds in trade talks for Elly De La Cruz at the trade deadline, and though they were ultimately rebuffed, they are expected to re-engage the Reds again this offseason.

If Cincinnati listens to Joey Votto, the club might be more willing to move the star shortstop this offseason, but that doesn't mean that he'll be given away. The asking price is going to be high. Sky-high. The club needs to ask for the moon and the stars, and not just one or the other.

The Reds would be wise to insist that a package consists of prospects and/or young players who are big-league-ready and line up with the timelines of Chase Burns and Sal Stewart. The reason for moving De La Cruz now is the fact that he doesn't allow the franchise to maximize that timeline, with only three more years of team control and no hope for an extension.

The Reds' asking price for Elly De La Cruz might kill the deal, or it will be absolutely transformative for Cincinnati

The Reds can and should be greedy here. While the clock is ticking on De La Cruz's time in the Queen City, they don't need to trade him now, or even this year. This is a player coming off a 30-30 season, who doesn't turn 25 until January, finished 2026 on an absolute heater, and is a legitimate MVP candidate in 2027. The price must match all of that value.

Boston already understands that they'd have to surrender Franklin Arias in a package for De La Cruz. Arias is MLB Pipeline's No. 2 overall prospect, and slashed a combined .323/.400/.557 with 25 dingers and nine steals between Double-A and Triple-A this year. He could be the next De La Cruz, and Cincinnati cannot even entertain any package that he's not a part of.

That's just the opener, however. Arias alone isn't enough to pique the Reds' interest. The club needs another starter in the rotation, and it would be even better if said hurler was the kind of talent who could co-headline the rotation for years to come. That brings us to Payton Tolle.

The 24-year-old became a sensation in Boston, making 26 starts with a 3.03 ERA for the Red Sox, and his zany antics burrowed into the hearts of not only Red Sox fans, but fans around the league.

Another reason to go after Tolle is the fact that the Red Sox cleared out much of the top of the pipeline in the deadline deal that yielded them Adley Rutschman. What was an average farm system to begin the year took a tumble to No. 24 in MLB Pipeline's post-deadline rankings. That makes getting a player like Tolle all the more important.

From this point, we would see the Reds starting with a phenom who could be a direct replacement for De La Cruz on Opening Day, plus a front-end starter who is controllable through 2031. Still, Cincinnati needs to be greedy and ask for more.

The next absolute must is Boston's No. 2 prospect, Justin Gonzales. The 19-year-old finished the year in Double-A but struggled over 19 games there, posting a .239/.353/.380 line. Still, the youngster has an imposing 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame and raw power for days. The 2028 season might be a more likely arrival time for him, but with the Reds needing a slugger in the outfield, he'd do.

Those three are mandatory, and another prospect in the 15-20 range in Boston's system should be a requirement, too. From there, there are a couple of low-level lottery tickets who could be upside plays, or some more big-league-ready arms who could have a shot in Cincinnati's 2027 bullpen. Finally, there's infielder Mikey Romero who could be a utility man and/or second or third base solution in 2027.

This treasure trove of assets would get the Reds to pull the trigger and would align all of the cornerstones in a way in which the team can start rising in the standings in 2027 and create a core that will allow the club to contend for years to come. For the Red Sox, this might hurt them more than De La Cruz would help, which could make the whole deal fall apart. Still, Cincinnati can't accept anything less.

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