Reds legend offers hope to fans questioning Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain's future

Reds fans have a difficult time just enjoying the moment, don't they? The Cincinnati Reds have two of the top middle infielders in the game currently on their roster and under team-control through 2029, but all fans seem to think about is when Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain will flee the Queen City and enter free agency. To be fair, there's definitely kernels of truth in that line of thinking.

Small-market teams who cry poor—like the Reds—rarely retain top talent like De La Cruz and McLain. The Cleveland Guardians were fortunate to keep Jose Ramirez on a bargain contract, and Bobby Witt Jr.'s deal with the Kansas City Royals is looking like highway robbery at this point.

Major League Baseball contracts have gotten out of hand. Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have all cashed in on $500 million-plus deals over the past year-and-a-half, and for fans of small-market clubs, it's demoralizing to watch. Will Reds fans have the opportunity to keep De La Cruz and/ or McLain beyond their arbitration window?

Reds legend Barry Larkin offers hope to fans questioning Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain's future

Barry Larkin seems to think so (maybe). During Tuesday's broadcast between the Reds and Seattle Mariners, the camera panned to the pair of De La Cruz and McLain in the dugout. Larkin, the Reds' TV analyst for FanDuel Sports Network, remarked, "I tell you, that combination right there (De La Cruz and McLain), offensively and defensively, it's going to be good for this city. For this fanbase. For hopefully a long, long time."

Some fans will quickly dismiss Larkin's comments and say that it's simply wishful thinking on his part. And perhaps they're right. Others, however, will hear what Larkin said and think, maybe there's a chance this actually happens. Let's be real—nobody expected the Cincinnati Bengals to keep Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, did they?

This is one of those "reading the tea leaves" moments, and perhaps it's nothing more than pure speculation, but Larkin could have some inside information here. He is, after all, the Reds senior advisor business and baseball operations. While it wouldn't be Larkin's money tied up in long-term contracts for De La Cruz and McLain, the Reds Hall of Fame shortstop certainly has some sway with the team's ownership group and front office, and has no doubt told them to find a way to keep both players in Cincy for the next decade.

McLain pushed aside talks of a potential contract extension this past offseason. The Reds second baseman was approached by the front office, but coming off a season-ending injury, McLain decided to bet on himself in an effort to increase his overall value. And while rejecting the Reds' offer can be viewed as disappointing, there's reason to believe that Cincinnati could eventually work out a long-term deal with the 25-year-old infielder.

A long-term contract for De La Cruz is all-together different, and would require Bob Castellini and the Reds ownership to drop a ton of cash. But baseball's economic future could be changing in the next couple of years. An anticipated labor dispute in 2026 could disrupt the entire way these contracts are handed out. Whether the upcoming negotiations work in the Reds' favor remains to be seen.

For now, Reds fans should just enjoy the ride and hope that De La Cruz and McLain can help lead Cincinnati to numerous winning seasons, a return to the MLB Postseason, and potentially a World Series trophy.

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