Goalie Linus Ullmark of the Bruins makes a significant announcement on his future with the team
Updates on the Elly De La Cruz and Reds extension are unclear
Elly De La Cruz, the superstar of the Cincinnati Reds, has emerged as one of MLB’s most famous names in just under two years. De La Cruz has given the Reds fresh life, but it doesn’t appear that a new contract extension will be implemented right away.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Foul Territory, MLB teams no longer seem to be in talks about extensions after April. Even while he feels certain Cincinnati has spoken with De La Cruz, he doesn’t think a contract extension will be finalized very soon.
The Reds are a team that has occasionally made large purchases. But that’s not what they always do. Both sides must always be in agreement when there is an extension. At this stage of his career, I’m not sure where De La Cruz sees himself or where his agent sees him,” Rosenthal remarked. “I anticipate that those discussions will occur, if they haven’t already.”
Rosenthal’s reporting here wasn’t so much hard and fast as it was an assessment of Cincinnati’s surrounding environment. Without a doubt, the Reds hope to retain De La Cruz for a long time. However, they’ll have to come to an agreement that benefits both of them. De La Cruz’s attractiveness notwithstanding, that is not a deal that will close quickly.
De La Cruz’s team control is helping the Reds out. Since he won’t be available for free agency until 2029, Cincinnati will have plenty of time to negotiate a deal. But a compensation increase will be due if the infielder continues to perform well. Both parties benefit from a contract extension, which keeps De La Cruz compensated and allows the Reds to retain their great player.
But, discussions about an extension have been put on hold right in the middle of the season. Starting the season with a 19–25 record, 7.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in first place in the NL Central, the Reds are in serious trouble. Cincinnati is hoping Elly De La Cruz can turn around their 2024 misfortune before they sign him to a contract.
Elly De La Cruz moves quickly to receive a bag from the Reds.
In 2018, De La Cruz became an international free agent and signed with the Reds. According to MLB Pipeline, he was Cincinnati’s third-best prospect by 2022. And De La Cruz was at last prepared to take the big league leap in 2023.
As a rookie, he played in 98 games, hitting.235 with 13 home runs, 44 RBI, and 35 stolen bases. De La Cruz placed sixth in the Rookie of the Year poll thanks to his combination of strength and speed. But in a way, his 2024 season has started even more impressively.
With 44 games played, De La Cruz is batting.277 with a league-high 35 stolen bases, nine home runs, and 22 RBI. Even while his steals are impressive in and of themselves, De La Cruz is almost certain to eclipse his rookie output in half the time. all the while considerably improving his hitting average.
If the Reds hope to escape their NL Central hole, they must begin to put together a winning streak. Elly De La Cruz would need to maintain his insane 2024 season pace in order to achieve this. De La Cruz keeps providing the Reds plenty of reasons to believe that a contract extension is imminent, even though it may not be a top priority right now.