Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 11, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (19) greets shortstop Elly De La Cruz after Cruz scored a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park.
Is it time for the Cincinnati Reds to move on from superstar Elly De La Cruz? That’s what club legend Joey Votto is arguing, although the move itself has nothing to do with anything the two-time All-Star shortstop did wrong.
De La Cruz, 24, has grown into one of the best shortstops in the league and is coming off the best season of his young career, having posted 5.6 wins above replacement and a 142 OPS+.
He’s not arbitration-eligible until next offseason, and can’t become a free agent until 2023. But Votto says that if the Reds, one of the cheapest teams in the league, want to win, they need to strike while the iron is hot.
Joey Votto:
“I would trade Elly (De La Cruz) for as many prospects as possible.”
Votto went on to say the Reds should NOT have extended him in 2012: “they should have flipped me at year 4.5-5.”
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Joey Votto Explains Why It’s Time For The Reds To Trade Elly De La Cruz
Votto and De La Cruz were teammates in 2023 before the future Hall of Fame first baseman announced his retirement. And Votto was sure to heap praise on the young star both as a player and a person while explaining his rationale.
“I would trade Elly for as many prospects as possible to start,” Votto said on Foul Territory TV. “Elly’s going to get $650 million. Even if he doesn’t get that number, he’s 50 (million) to 60 (million) per year times seven, just to start, you know, let’s say the CBA changes things. He’s making 350 over the course of seven years minimum, six years minimum.”
Votto added that it makes no sense for De La Cruz to eat up such a large chunk of the Reds’ payroll, regardless of how talented he is.
“Are you going to give up a half or a third of your payroll on one player?” he continued. “It doesn’t make sense. I love Elly. I played with him in AAA. I watched him get called up. He is a leader. He is a talent getting better. He is all five tools. He’s going to have a (Pete Crow-Armstrong) type year where he puts up 10 wins (above replacement) or where he puts up .900 OPS and, but he’s done all these things.
Votto Also Would Have Traded Himself!
To make matters clear, Votto says it’s not a vendetta against De La Cruz. Instead, it’s pure money management. He noted that the Reds should have traded him rather than signing him to a 12-year, $251.5M contract in 2012.
“He’s already done some fantastic things and he’s only going to get better,” Votto added. “He’s 24, 25 years old. But some teams shouldn’t be signing the big dog guys. I was extended in Cincinnati on a 12-year (deal). Should they have signed me? No, no, they should have flipped me at year four and a half or at five. And then I would have entered free agency.
“I can tell you the raise. I can tell you the Brewers and the Guardians, unless I took 50 cents on the dollar, which I wouldn’t have with the Reds. I should have. I should have. I would have been traded with them. So that’s probably the first start. I just don’t know the timing of it.”
Unfortunately, Cincinnati hasn’t shown the ability to consistently develop young talent to the point where trading De La Cruz would even matter. But it’s easy to see Votto’s point of view.