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1 trade Reds must not make at 2026 MLB trade deadline
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The Cincinnati Reds are one of the few teams shaping up to be sellers at the upcoming MLB trade deadline. With the NL Wild Card race heating up, Cincy is in a prime position to overcharge for trade chips on August 3. But the Reds cannot trade Elly De La Cruz at this year's deadline, no matter who comes calling.
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The Reds have a long history of not paying their top players on long-term extensions, letting them walk. Johnny Cueto , Todd Frazier , Eugenio Suarez , and Aroldis Chapman are some of the players they let go to get paid and become stars elsewhere. De La Cruz is shaping up to join that list, as Scott Boras prepares him for free agency in 2030. Once he gets there, the Reds will likely be outpriced.
The Reds must trade De La Cruz before he reaches free agency, but this deadline is not the time to do it. A lockout is looming in December , and it could change the free-agency process as we know it. His lack of an extension makes him one of the most intriguing players to watch through the lockout. And it could make him even more valuable in free agency.
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The Reds also have Hunter Greene leading the rotation, who could be in the same spot. But he has been injured for much of this season, which tanks his trade value for now. This trade won't happen before August 3, despite how great he was last season. The De La Cruz trade is more likely, but still should not happen.
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The Reds made the playoffs last year, but a return to October is not looking likely for this season. Who should they trade at the deadline if it won't be De La Cruz?
The Reds cannot trade Elly De La Cruz, but they must be sellers
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
There is no shortage of teams competing for the final spot in the National League Wild Card. Five teams are within four games of the Miami Marlins for the final spot heading into the All-Star Break. The Reds are eight games out of the spot with six teams to jump to make the dance. As unlikley as last year's berth was, this year's would be even less likely.
The Reds should be trading a lot of their valuable players before the deadline. Tyler Stephenson , Jose Trevino , Suarez, Brady Singer , and Emilo Pagan should all be dealt for prospects. If the Reds hit on even one of those return pieces, they could set up another competitive window quickly. Otherwise, they are letting pieces walk away for free and not supporting De La Cruz and Greene.
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Trading De La Cruz would be as significant an in-season trade as the Juan Soto deal back in 2022. The Washington Nationals got nice pieces back for him, but he was closer to free agency than De La Cruz is now. The Reds can wait, build a solid team next offseason, and try again in 2027 before trading De La Cruz. And if the lockout changes things dramatically, they could get lucky in the end.
Everyone knows the shortlist of teams that would be in on De La Cruz now. The Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Yankees , New York Mets , and other big-market clubs would be in the race. But if a salary cap is instituted, or stricter luxury-tax penalties at least, would open up the possibilities for a De La Cruz extension. If the Reds' ownership increases payroll coming out of the lockout, they could even keep the superstar on a long-term deal.
Who should the Cincinnati Reds trade before the August 3 trade deadline?
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