Reds President Nick Krall Sends Non-Committal Message About Elly De La Cruz's Future

Will the Reds explore the idea of an Elly De La Cruz trade this offseason?

Sep 22, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) reacts after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cincinnati Reds have a huge offseason in front of them and it's not off to a great start. Their closer, Emilio Pagán, shockingly opted out of his contract with the team and hit free agency. It didn't take long for Pagán to reportedly find a deal with the Detroit Tigers.

Now, the Reds have bigger questions ahead of them. They have multiple key free agents to watch, but the biggest question surrounds their best player, Elly De La Cruz.

The Reds could look to trade him. In fact, they have reportedly been open to the idea in the past, but no deal has ever gotten close to coming to fruition. Still, this offseason could be the perfect time for the Reds to trade him for a huge haul of prospects and big-league talent in an attempt to turn their franchise around. Reds President of Baseball Operations, Nick Krall, was recently asked about it, and he gave a cryptic answer.

Nick Krall Doesn't Have a Good Answer to Elly De La Cruz Trade Buzz

Sep 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) smiles as he comes off the field against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“You know, we want to keep him around as long as we possibly can. I would never say no to anything, but we haven’t had any conversations this offseason," Krall said on SiriusXM Radio when asked about the possibility of trading De La Cruz. "He’s a guy that you want on your team, and you want to figure out how to make him a long-term part of this team. And, you know, if that doesn’t work out, then maybe we’ll have to have that conversation down the road.”

Basically, Krall isn't willing to call De La Cruz an untouchable player. Typically, with franchise players, the front office is a bit more dismissive of these kinds of rumors. But with De La Cruz, Krall wasn't willing to shut down the rumors. For Reds fans, this is bad news. This could mean the Reds are completely open for business.

On the bright side, Krall confirmed that the Reds haven't had any conversations about a trade involving De La Cruz this offseason. While the Reds shouldn't make him completely untouchable, it should be close. He's a generational player with the potential to be the best player in the league if he keeps moving in the direction that he is. The Reds can't let a player like that slip through their fingers.

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