The door is open for the Mariners to make Reds an offer for Elly De La Cruz

It isn't every day that teams will listen to potential trade offers for a top-five talent in baseball. On Tuesday, Cincinnati Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall left the door open for teams to blow them away with a trade package for superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

Krall was cryptic when asked by the media about a potential Elly trade. He didn't specifically say that Elly was available, but he also didn't say he wasn't: "We haven't had any conversations about him this offseason. I'm never going to say never, but we haven't had any conversations."

This isn't the first time that Krall has signaled an openness to dealing his superstar shortstop. The Boston Red Sox reportedly put together a strong package for Elly at this year's trade deadline, but the Reds ultimately declined it. Now, any trade package from the Red Sox would need to include top prospect Franklin Arias, but according to FanSided's own Pat Ragazzo, Boston's farm system is likely too far depleted after trading four of its top prospects for Adley Rutschman.

If the Reds are looking for a team that has a deep farm system, strong pitching, and a GM who prefers making trades to signing free agents. Enter the Seattle Mariners, who just closed the door on a return for popular shortstop J.P. Crawford and are walking away from arguably their best hitter, Randy Arozarena.

The Mariners have nothing to lose in making an aggressive pitch for Elly De La Cruz

You know what they say about missing every shot you don't take. Mariners POBO Jerry Dipoto needs to make a splash this offseason, especially with a relatively thin free agent class and a looming lockdown to start next season. With the team replacing Dan Wilson with new manager Jason Kanzler this offseason, it's safe to say that Dipoto's seat is as hot as it has ever been heading into 2027.

So, what would it take to pry Elly De La Cruz away from the Reds? Back in September, SoDo Mojo crafted a package that included Ryan Sloan, Michael Arroyo, Jonny Farmelo, and Nick Becker. It's a lot, but the Reds have indicated they need to be blown away by an overpay for their franchise player.

It wouldn't be surprising if the Reds wanted proven major league talent as well. Despite finishing 2026 with a 75-87 record, the Reds would certainly be worse in 2027 if they traded away Elly for a package of prospects. Swapping in a Kade Anderson or George Kirby could be a bit more enticing to Cincinnati. And besides, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports that Sloan is considered "untouchable" by the Mariners.

Ultimately, the offer needs to be extraordinary since the Reds have no incentive to trade Elly with three years of team control left before he can become a free agent in 2029. Elly is represented by Scott Boras, who is well-known to be averse to contract extensions and loves to test the market. Perhaps the Reds would be more willing to listen to get ahead of losing Elly for nothing in three years.

In reality, 29 other MLB teams would love to add a player of Elly's caliber, and 29 other fanbases are currently dreaming up trade scenarios. The AL West is a winnable division for the Mariners, especially with the Rangers looking to shed salary this offseason and the Astros listening to trade offers for Jeremy Peña. De La Cruz is coming off his third consecutive season with at least 22 home runs and 30 stolen bases, while also continuing to improve his defense. Pairing him with Julio Rodríguez at the top of the lineup would give the Mariners one of the most lethal power-speed combos in baseball.

It may be now or never for Dipoto, so what does he have to lose in making an offer? Cincinnati has left the door open; it's time for Dipoto to blow that door down with an offer they can't refuse.

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