Reds just escaped massive Elly De La Cruz payday by the skin of their teeth

Elly De La Cruz will soon sign a massive contract, but it won't be this offseason. The Cincinnati Reds superstar narrowly missed qualifying for Super Two status, meaning he won't be eligible for arbitration until next offseason.

The Super Two designation allows players who rank in the top 22%, among those who've accrued between two and three years of service time, to become eligible for arbitration.

This year, the Super Two cutoff is expected to be set at two years and either 139 or 140 days of service time. De La Cruz debuted on June 6, 2023, giving him two years and 118 days of service time. Had Cincinnati called up De La Cruz in May, as they did with Matt McLain, the Reds shortstop would've received a handsome payday this winter.

Reds just escaped massive Elly De La Cruz payday after he failed to qualify for Super Two status

To be sure, De La Cruz will receive a hefty sum of money next offseason when he becomes eligible for arbitration. One of the best comps for De La Cruz might be Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who's expected to take home close to $7 million through arbitration in 2026. The Reds' superstar is under team control for the next seasons, and will receive an increase in salary between 2027, 2028, and 2029, before reaching free agency in 2030.

The Reds could (and should) look to lock up De La Cruz on a long-term deal this offseason. It's unlikely, however, that the two sides will comes to terms on an extension. MLB super-agent Scott Boras represents De La Cruz, and he's known to push his clients through their arbitration years and into free agency where they can negotiate with all 30 teams rather than just one.

On the other side is the tight-fisted Reds ownership group headed up by Bob Castellini. Joey Votto's 10-year, $225 million deal is the largest contract in Reds history, and if the club wants to keep De La Cruz around for the next decade, they'd likely have to double it. It's doubtful that Castellini has the stomach for that.

With De La Cruz set to make less than $800,000 heading into 2026, the Reds should do their best to surround him with top-tier talent in order to maximize the team's success while the two-time All-Star is still on an inexpensive deal.