The Reds made an unsuccessful attempt to close Elly De La Cruz last spring. Although details were scarce at the time, president of baseball Nick Krall revealed today that the team had made a formal offer that would exceed his 10-year, franchise-record $225MM contract. Joey Votto.
“We made Elly an offer that would make him the highest-paid Red ever,” Krall said (link via C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic). “He’s not where he’s at and he respects that. It’s their job. You keep going and keep working on what you can do today.” De La Cruz chose not to go into specifics, telling Redsfest fans only that he was leaving contract matters to his agent, Scott Boras.
The request came after De La Cruz’s first full season in the big leagues. He hit 25 home runs and led the majors with 67 stolen bases while hitting .259/.339/.471 in just under 700 plate appearances. A versatile hitting shortstop with a great combination of speed and power, De La Cruz was a 10-time coach MVP in his age-22 season. He was arguably MLB’s first baseman before being promoted. It’s enough for the Reds to safely consider him the face of the franchise.
As noted in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, any extension above Votto’s salary would have been a record for a player with less than two years of service. Julio Rodríguez he carries that mark in his extension with the Sailor. That technically comes with a $210MM guarantee but there is a huge escalator/option structure that could push the price closer to half a billion dollars. The player’s salary increases as they get closer to solving problems. Fernando Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340MM) and Bobby Witt Jr. (11 years, $288.78MM) each commanded huge guarantees when they signed extensions with exactly two years of service.
Krall did not specify how De La Cruz’s offer would compare to those precedents. Witt is an MVP-caliber player now but he had some similarities to De La Cruz when he signed his extension through the 2023-24 offseason. He was also the former #1 player in tools for being a franchise shortstop. Witt hit .276/.319/.495 with 30 homers and 49 steals the season before his long-term deal. He was already a star but had to reach the level of a batting title winner with an OPS pushing 1.000. Witt’s deal also builds in four opt-out options that could make him free at the start of his age-31 season — a time when a ten-year contract could be in the cards.
Whatever the specifics, De La Cruz has chosen to bet himself. That is a common practice for Boras Corporation clients, especially those who are not yet eligible for compensation. He played for a pre-arbitration salary last year and will do the same in 2026. De La Cruz will be eligible for arbitration next season and is owned by the team for four seasons. He is on the verge of free agency at the age of 28.
De La Cruz’s production picked up slightly in his second full season. He hit .264/.336/.440 with 22 long balls and 37 stolen bases. His average and on-base percentage didn’t change, but his power and baserunning each took small steps back. It is unlikely that much will change in terms of how the Reds view him. De La Cruz has started every game but one as the Reds battle for the National League’s final spot. Krall said at the beginning of the season that De La Cruz played with a left quad. Injuries and possible fatigue wore him down in the second half, as he hit .236/.303/.363 after the All-Star Break. He had a .284/.359/.495 slash with 25 steals in the Midsummer Classic.
Cincinnati will likely take another step in extension talks this spring, though it would be a surprise if they do. He will always be the most important team player in any case. Krall made it clear that they are committed to De La Cruz at shortstop, where he has a cannon arm but has led MLB in errors in back-to-back seasons. He should lead offensively when fully healthy, his physical gifts giving him one of the highest ceilings in the league.
