With record-setting deals being handed out across MLB in recent seasons, the Cincinnati Reds reportedly tried to get into the mix last spring.
According to The Athletic's C. Trent Rosecrans on Friday, the Reds extended an offer to star shortstop Elly De Le Cruz that would have been the largest contract in franchise history, besting the 10-year, $225-million deal Canadian Joey Votto signed in 2012.
“We made Elly an offer that would’ve made him the highest-paid Red ever,” president of baseball operations Nick Krall said, per Rosecrans. “That’s not where he is and you respect that. It’s their career. You keep going and you keep working on what you can do today.”
De La Cruz, who just turned 24, is coming off a 2025 season in which he smashed 22 homers, drove in 86 runs and stole 37 bases while leading the Reds to their first post-season appearance since 2020.
The six-foot-five switch-hitter has developed into one of the most exciting young players in baseball, thanks to a combination of tools that help him stand out in almost all aspects of the game.
Last season, De La Cruz ranked in the 91st percentile of big-leaguers in sprint speed, the 93rd percentile in arm strength and the 98th percentile of max exit velocity.
And while all those abilities have yet to culminate in a truly dominant season, De La Cruz has already built a resume as a top-10 MVP finisher and two-time all-star in three MLB campaigns.
De La Cruz is set to enter arbitration for the first time following the 2026 season and will be eligible for free agency in the winter of 2029. He is represented by Scott Boras.
“I let my agent take care of all of that,” De La Cruz said Friday at Redsfest.
In addition to the effort to extend De La Cruz, Krall said that the Reds have approached other young players about extension, but haven't been able to finalize any deals.
“We’ve got a lot of guys on this club that are impact players that have a chance to be impact players,” Krall said. “Hunter (Greene) took a deal and that was great. We love having him and he’s an anchor starter for us. We’ve had a lot of conversations over the years, it’s got to work out on both parties.”
Beyond the extension talks, De La Cruz also confirmed Friday that he will not be suiting up for the Dominican Republic at the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
"It was the team’s choice because I was dealing with the quad and they didn’t want me to play," he said, per MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "I mean, I want to play. I want to represent my country, but I believe in (the Reds). I’ll definitely want to play in the future.”
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