Sports

Reds President Shuts Down Elly De La Cruz Extension Rumors

By Joe Najarian Athlon Sports

The Cincinnati Reds are in a bit of a pickle right now.

They qualified for the postseason last year despite winning only 83 games, and are currently in last place in the NL Central despite sporting a winning record. The Reds' division has suddenly become the strongest in MLB, with their rivals all featuring emerging young talent that will be a thorn in Cincinnati's side for years to come.

The good news is that the Reds also have a young, dynamic player in shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who is already the face of the franchise. But the bad news is that De La Cruz is a Scott Boras client, with Boras being well-known for getting his players to free agency and securing massive paydays.

This ended up working against the Reds earlier in the offseason, as the 24-year-old rejected what was reportedly the largest contract in team history. While it is encouraging that the Reds were actively looking to extend their best player, they are facing an uphill battle given their small-market status.

Nick Krall Denys Extension Talks Amid Scott Boras Visit to Cincinnati

During the Reds' off-day on Monday, rumors surrounding a De La Cruz extension suddenly exploded when the shortstop took to his Instagram story. At Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse in Cincinnati, Elly's menu said "Welcome back to Cincinnati, Scott Boras!", confirming that the prestigious agent was in the Queen City.

This immediately restarted speculation about a contract extension, and prompted MLB Insider (and former Reds general manager) Jim Bowden to reach out to team president Nick Krall. Unfortunately, Krall had nothing to report, replying to Bowden that the two sides had not re-engaged in contract talks "at this time". The meeting between De La Cruz and Boras was seemingly a fancy dinner and not much else.

It is worth mentioning that De La Cruz is not yet arbitration eligible, with 2027 being his first year of salary arbitration; the Reds also have him under team control until the 2029 season ends. With that in mind, there's no rush for a long-term extension, especially as the 24-year-old continues to develop his skills.

But what the 6-foot-7 shortstop already has to offer is jaw-dropping. As a 22-year-old in 2024, De La Cruz accumulated 6.6 fWAR by bashing 25 home runs and leading the majors with 67 stolen bases. 2025 saw a dip in production but still ended with 4.3 fWAR, and 2026 may be the Dominican phenom's most encouraging start yet.

Through 41 games, De La Cruz is hitting .288/.354/.521 with 10 home runs, nine stolen bases in 13 attempts, and a 140 wRC+. Defensively, he is worth 5 Outs Above Average with a Fielding Run Value of 4 (per Statcast) at a premium defensive position. He already sports 2.1 fWAR, tied for the fourth best in MLB and firmly solidifying him among the game's elite.

Even though they have time, the Reds are under immense pressure to keep De La Cruz around, especially with the Brewers, Cubs and Pirates extending their young stars in Jackson Chourio, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Konnor Griffin, respectively. Having to negotiate with Scott Boras will be extremely difficult, but keeping their franchise player in the Queen City for the rest of his career is the best way to compete in the loaded NL Central for years to come.

De La Cruz and the Reds will look to keep pace in the division as they resume play on Tuesday. They will host the Washington Nationals for three games before battling their Ohio rivals in Cleveland this weekend.

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 9:30 AM.

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