Trading Elly De La Cruz could be the Reds' fastest path to contention

Cincinnati Reds fans won't want to hear this, but it's the truth. The Reds' fastest path back to contention starts with trading the team's All-Star shortstop, Elly De La Cruz.

This is not a popular opinion, we know. No fanbase ever wants to see their favorite team trade the organization's best player. But the Milwaukee Brewers just showed Reds fans why such a decision is necessary if Cincinnati ever hopes to win another World Series.

The Brewers, who swept the high-dollar Los Angeles Dodgers right out of the NLCS, are headed to their first World Series since 1982. But Milwaukee's success didn't just happen overnight. This was a slow and steady build that was predicated on prudent (albeit unpopular) decisions, and yet, the fans in Wisconsin pack American Family Field nearly every night knowing the Brewers have put a winning product on the field.

Over the last five years, the Brewers have traded away 2021 Cy Young award-winner Corbin Burnes, staff ace Freddy Peralta, 2025 Rookie of the Year finalist Caleb Durbin, and All-Star closers Devin Williams and Josh Hader. These were all heavily-criticized moves at the time, but Milwaukee's leadership understands that in order to maintain a consistent and winning roster, they have to maximize the value of some of their best players.

The Brewers knew good and well that they were never going to sign any of those players once they reached the free agent market. Instead, Milwaukee relies on a top-tier pipeline that has consistently churned out elite-level prospects.

The Brewers, trusting their scouts and coaching staff, extended pre-arbitration offers to the likes of Jackson Chourio, Cooper Pratt, and Luis Lara. The highest AAV among those three players is Chourio's $10.25 million. Cincinnati could've saved themselves millions of dollars if they'd have employed this type of strategy with Sal Stewart before his rookie breakout, and top prospect Alfredo Duno is the perfect candidate to receive such a deal before making his MLB debut.

Trading Elly De La Cruz might be the Reds' smartest path forward

But let's turn the focus back to De La Cruz. Former Reds' great Joey Votto, during an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast, described to host A.J. Pierzynski how he'd reconstruct the roster if he were Cincinnati's general manager. Votto explained why his first move would be to trade De La Cruz.

"I would trade Elly for as many prospects as possible, to start," Votto said. "Elly's going to get $650 million. Even if he doesn't get that number, he's $50-60 million per year times seven (years) just to start...Are you going to give up half or a third of your payroll on one player? It doesn't make sense."

Votto went on to say that some teams shouldn't be signing the "big dog guys" and even explained why the Reds were foolish to offer him the 10-year, $225 million contract he signed back in 2012.

Simply put, the Reds failed to surround De La Cruz with the proper pieces to build a contender when he was pre-arbitration eligible. We're not here to suggest that it wasn't for a lack of trying, but the bottom line is that the moves Cincinnati's front office made didn't work, and the young players they were counting on failed to produce.

Matt McLain hasn't to live up to the lofty expectations he set for himself following his rookie season. Noelvi Marte has never turned into the All-Star level player he was supposed to be. Jeimer Candelario was a free-agent bust. Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo have been on and off the IL throughout their careers. And a number of Nick Krall's trade acquisitions (Chase Petty, Edwin Arroyo, Brandon Williamson, etc.) have yet to become impact players on the major league roster.

The Reds haven't won the division since 2012, and this year, they returned to the NL Central basement for the first time since 2018. Do Reds fans honestly expect this front office and ownership group to make all the right moves during the offseason and turn what was a 75-win team in 2026 into a 95-win team next year?

So where does that leave De La Cruz? Were it not for the impending lockout, the Reds might actually consider moving their superstar shortstop this offseason. But with such a short window to negotiate potential trades — especially a blockbuster deal that would include a player like De La Cruz — it's difficult to see that happening this winter.

Would a deal at the 2027 MLB trade deadline (provided baseball is played next season) be a possibility? Certainly. The more likely scenario, however, is Krall's dismissal after the 2027 season and a new regime fielding offers for De La Cruz during the 2027-28 offseason. He'd still have two years of team control remaining and would fetch a massive return.

We know this isn't what Reds fans want to hear, but unless the impending CBA negotiations drastically change the economic landscape, Cincinnati's best path forward will be to trade De La Cruz sometime between now and Opening Day in 2028.

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