How Elly De La Cruz and the Reds can get back to the playoffs in 5 simple steps

Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds find themselves in familiar territory, as they’re likely to finish below .500 and miss the postseason once again. That’s more or less the franchise’s 21st century in a nutshell.

Talent has never been the Reds’ problem, whether it was during the Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Larkin era or the young nucleus built around potential Hall of Fame first baseman Joey Votto. But they’ve nonetheless managed only eight winning seasons since 2000, and at 61-67, they’ll need some help down the stretch to avoid another losing record. 

Although veteran pitcher Hunter Greene will likely miss most, if not all, of the 2027 season following Tommy John surgery, the Reds boast several intriguing young players. Chase Burns has become the new ace, and Sal Stewart has built a legitimate Rookie of the Year case. Then, there’s De La Cruz, who is still his electrifying, game-changing self at shortstop and at the plate. 

So, how do we fix the Reds? We have some thoughts, starting with one that shouldn’t be overly surprising. 

The Cincinnati Reds shouldn’t even consider trading Elly De La Cruz 

You’d think that this would be obvious enough, but who knows what a team like the Yankees or Dodgers would offer in return? Neither club is lacking in prospects, and they could afford (pun not intended) to slot De La Cruz in at second base or shortstop. Trading for the perennial All-Star shortstop could become incredibly tempting. 

As of Aug. 21, there is no indication that the Reds intend to move De La Cruz this offseason, nor has he publicly requested a trade. He’s under team control through 2029 and has yet to sign a contract extension, though the Reds reportedly offered him $225 million over 10 years ahead of the 2025 season. 

Will Terry Francona return to the Reds in 2027?

Whether a managerial change would be Francona’s choice remains to be seen, especially given his résumé and success in both Boston and Cleveland. Firing him, even after missing the playoffs for a second straight season, would feel unnecessary. He turned 67 earlier this year and has a history of health issues, so a mutual resignation or retirement might be the safer play for all parties.

As of Aug. 21, Francona hasn’t publicly addressed his plans for 2027. He’s under contract through next season with a 2028 team option. That said, if the Reds have an opening at manager, they’d be wise to heed our advice. 

If needed, the Reds must hire a proven manager like Brandon Hyde or Rocco Baldelli

We recently proposed that the Diamondbacks should target Baldelli if they move on from Torey Lovullo. Similarly, we’ve suggested that both Baldelli and Hyde make sense for the Mariners, assuming that Dan Wilson is fired within the coming weeks. 

Let’s add the Reds as potential suitors for either candidate. Both are previous Manager of the Year winners and succeeded despite having mid-tier payrolls at best. They’d be perfect fits for the Reds. 

Yes, the current trend is hiring younger options who have little to no big-league coaching experience, but there’s no shame in pursuing Hyde or Baldelli. 

Should the Reds try to trade for Ketel Marte? 

Speaking of the Diamondbacks, it’s difficult to envision Marte lasting in Arizona beyond this season. Between scrubbing his social media feed of Diamondbacks-related content and landing on the restricted list after going missing, a trade feels inevitable. 

Marte has full 10-and-5 rights, so he could block any potential trade. Cincinnati might not have the bright lights of New York or Philadelphia, but the Reds have an elite superstar in De La Cruz. Would that be enough to sway the three-time All-Star?

For what it’s worth, Marte is owed roughly $86.5 million over the next five seasons, and he also has an $11.5 million player option for 2031. Perhaps Cincinnati could convince Arizona to eat some of that money if it means sending the Diamondbacks’ longtime second baseman packing. 

Going the bargain-bin route in free agency won’t help the Reds

Expanding on that aggressive mindset, we don’t want to see the Reds approach the offseason looking to add older players they could potentially flip at the 2027 deadline. The priority should be adding established players — or, at the very least, veterans who haven’t completed their arbitration years or have relatively inexpensive multi-year contracts. 

And while we’re not suggesting that the Reds must target Anthony Volpe, consider his overall situation. He’s played several seasons and desperately needs a fresh start. The Rangers’ Evan Carter is another ideal example, and his value as a left-handed outfielder with power and speed should intrigue Cincinnati. 

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