Dodgers fans salivating as Reds reveal Elly De La Cruz turned down historic extension

On Friday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reported that the Reds' star shortstop Elly De La Cruz turned down an extension last spring that would've surpassed Joey Votto's 10-year, $225 million deal to become the largest in Cincinnati's history. De La Cruz, when asked about it at Redsfest, said, "I let my agent take care of all of that."

De La Cruz is heading into his last pre-arbitration year and won't be a free agent until after the 2029 season. He played all 162 games for the Reds in 2025 and hit .264 with a .776 OPS, 22 homers, and 86 RBI. And that was only his second full season in the majors. It's been said before but it bears repeating: he could turn into a superstar.

But the aforementioned agent who turned down the extension offer on De La Cruz's behalf is Scott Boras, who hates extensions, even if he might like to suggest otherwise.

Even if the Reds were to up their offer significantly after the 2026 season, there's still a distinct chance that Boras would continue to say no. That's where the Dodgers come in.

Dodgers fans are already liking the idea of Elly De La Cruz in Dodger blue after he turned down Reds extension

De La Cruz is a loud and proud Shohei Ohtani fan. When he got his first All Star nod in 2024, he said he was learning Japanese so that he could talk to Ohtani. During their first meeting on a field in 2023, De La Cruz poked Ohtani to confirm that he was real. Sounds like the guy would really like to share a team with him.

Mookie Betts' contract isn't up until after the 2032 season, and he has the starting shortstop job locked up until further notice. But 2030 will also be Betts' age-37 season, and he may not be up for the defensive demands that position requires. De La Cruz will be 27, presumably in the prime of his career, and the Dodgers have the money to persuade Boras.

Of course, a lot can and probably will change between now and then. A lockout is looming, and if the owners get their way, a salary cap might be the only thing that ends it. The Dodgers may not be able to spend to their heart's content by the time De La Cruz is a free agent, but if anyone's going to fnd a way to get their client paid despite a spending limit, it's Boras.