New MLB Trade Rumors on Elly De La Cruz Interest Amid Reds' Struggles Ahead of Deadline

Only three teams in the National League have a worse record than the Cincinnati Reds, which would presumably make the NL Central team a seller ahead of Monday's trade deadline.

However, one of their most notable players is reportedly not available.

Rob Bradford of Audacy Sports reported teams checking on the trade status of Elly De La Cruz "are being told not to bother."

That shouldn't be a significant surprise.

After all, De La Cruz is under team control through the 2029 campaign and one of the franchise cornerstones for the future even if the 2026 season isn't going according to plan. While it doesn't seem like the Reds are going to be serious contenders come October, they will likely need their star shortstop to lead the way if they are going to make playoff pushes later in his contract.

He is also just 24 years old and could have his best baseball ahead of him.

Cincinnati also seemed to have an eye on the future when it agreed to a long-term extension with 23-year-old pitcher Chase Burns. Earlier this month, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Burns' seven-year, $105 million contract extension represented the largest guarantee for a pitcher with less than four years of MLB service in league history.

Having Burns and De La Cruz as building blocks is a better start than many struggling teams have, and there remains hope for the future in Cincinnati.

That long-term optimism would take quite the hit if the Reds traded their star shortstop, but it doesn't appear as if their fans have to worry about that becoming a reality.

In just his fourth MLB season, De La Cruz has a resume that features two All-Star Game selections and a top-10 finish in MVP voting. He also led the league with 67 stolen bases during the 2024 campaign.

De La Cruz is slashing .278/.354/.506 with 18 home runs, 47 RBI and 18 stolen bases this season as something of a bright spot for the Reds, and it appears as if he will remain with the only MLB team he has ever known through the trade deadline.