Tarik Skubal trade deadline drama is the warning Reds can't ignore with Elly De La Cruz

There's no telling exactly what's going to happen with Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline, but this painfully drawn out saga has put an exclamation point on what has been a very disappointing contention window for the Detroit Tigers. Despite Skubal winning the American League Cy Young Award the past two season, the Tigers haven't advanced beyond the ALDS with him on the roster.

Whether or not he gets traded is irrelevant to the present and future of the Cincinnati Reds. They're too far out of the playoff race to make a move for him this summer, and they certainly can't afford to pay the historic contract he'll command in free agency.

However, the Reds can learn a lesson from the Tigers' failings and what led them to this point. Cincinnati has a face-of-the-franchise of their own in Elly De La Cruz who needs to be part of a winning effort sooner or later. Considering he's set for free agency in three years, the clock is ticking for the Reds to make the next few seasons count.

Reds must prioritizing winning in 2027 & 2028 with Elly De La Cruz on the roster

It's hard to believe that De La Cruz is still just 24 years old, but that's what makes buying into his personal improvements so easy. He's in the midst of the best season of his career (127 wRC+) and combines power, speed, and fielding acumen to a degree that few other human beings are capable of.

For what it's worth, the Reds tried to jump the gun and sign him to an extension that would have made him the highest-paid player in franchise history. Naturally, De La Cruz said, no. That gamble looks like it'll pay off handsomely when he reaches free agency after the 2029 season.

The Tigers were at least able to get to the second round of the postseason bracket during Skubal's best seasons, but their collapse down the stretch last year has continued into 2026 and made him a clear-cut trade candidate.

Beyond the desire to simply extend De La Cruz's stay in Cincinnati, it's paramount that the Reds win right now, while he's still cheap and under team control. It's going to be harder to build a winner around him when he's taking up $25 million or more in payroll, compared to the mere $800,000 he's taking home this year.

Not every season can be a winner, and it's not completely calamitous that the organization took a step back after finally breaching October last year. What will be harder to swallow is if the Reds fail to put a true winner around their superstar in the future. If they don't, the 2029 campaign in Cincinnati could feel eerily similar to the current dilemma facing Detroit this season.

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