Reds Fans Shouldn't Worry About Any Outlandish Elly De La Cruz Trade Speculation

The Reds almost certainly won't consider trading Elly De La Cruz in the near future.

May 16, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) stands on the field in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

Elly De La Cruz is the best player on the Cincinnati Reds, and that's seemingly been the case since he debuted in the Queen City a few years ago.

But once he showed that he was a potential superstar, the trade speculation began. The Reds, a small-market team, have almost no chance of re-signing him if he gets to free agency, so fans began to speculate that he would leave the team sooner rather than later. Mind you, this outlandish speculation began in 2023, when De La Cruz was a rookie.

A few years later, De La Cruz's name is bound to pop up in trade rumors again, but these rumors are just as outlandish now as they were a few years ago.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently suggested De La Cruz was untouchable for the Reds this season, and it seems like he's right on the money with that idea.

Why Elly De La Cruz Won't Be Traded This Season

May 16, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) singles in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

"De La Cruz will be arbitration-eligible for the first time in 2027, which could kick extension talks into gear next spring," Reuter wrote. "For now, he's one of the best pre-arbitration players in baseball and a rising superstar in the sport. Improved defense at shortstop in the early going shows he is still growing as a player. Do the Reds have the wallet to convince him to stay long-term?"

Any speculation involving De La Cruz is driven by the fans who have a negative outlook on the Reds and their way of doing business.

The Reds are losing games right now, and De La Cruz is their best player. He would net a huge haul in return. But trading him doesn't make any sense during the pre-arbitration phase of his contract.

The Reds have also engaged in contract extension talks with De La Cruz in the past, which shows their interest in keeping him in the Queen City.

The Reds have De La Cruz under team control for a few more seasons. If they end up trading him, it'll likely be when his contract is expiring. There's potential they could trade him a year sooner, but not three years sooner.

Also, add that there has been speculation about a salary cap and floor coming to MLB, though it's unlikely. This could level the playing field a bit and make it more likely that De La Cruz remains a Red.

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