Dodgers’ perfect trade offer for Reds’ Elly De La Cruz

Dodgers’ perfect trade offer for Reds’ Elly De La Cruz appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Los Angeles Dodgers should pursue Elly De La Cruz with a package that gives the Cincinnati Reds help on two timelines. Emmet Sheehan, Mike Sirota and Emil Morales would combine immediate starting pitching with two substantial position-player prospects. The case begins with what Cincinnati would receive. Trading De La Cruz for distant upside alone would ask the Reds to accept too much uncertainty. Including Sheehan would put a major league contributor in the return while preserving Los Angeles’ strongest young rotation pieces. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden identified De La Cruz as a sensible trade target for the Dodgers while noting their confidence in several emerging outfield prospects. Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial) “Taking a big swing to try to trade for the Nationals’ Abrams or the Reds’ De La Cruz also would make a lot of sense for them. That said, they feel several of their top prospects, such as outfielders Josue De Paula, Mike Sirota and Eduardo Quintero, are getting closer to being major-league ready.” This package is a hypothetical editorial proposal, not a reported offer or the Reds’ established asking price. Cincinnati has no obligation to trade its shortstop, and the package would require both clubs to accept meaningful risks. Hypothetical trade Dodgers receive Elly De La Cruz Reds receive Emmet Sheehan, Mike Sirota and Emil Morales Why Elly De La Cruz fits the Dodgers De La Cruz would give the Dodgers an established offensive threat at an age when further improvement remains possible. He hit .283/.365/.515 with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases across 143 games in 2026. His .880 OPS shows he would bring more than speed to an aging lineup. The Reds’ switch-hitter would add power and on-base production while giving the Dodgers another way to pressure defenses when home runs are scarce. The contractual timeline also matters. De La Cruz remains under team control through 2029 and enters arbitration in 2027. Los Angeles would acquire three seasons before free agency, making the prospect investment more defensible than it would be for a rental. The defensive fit requires coordination. This proposal would put De La Cruz at shortstop and require evaluating Mookie Betts at second base or in the outfield. That is a proposed adjustment, not an announced Dodgers plan. Los Angeles would need to account for the effect on Tommy Edman and its other position players before deciding the offensive gain justifies changing its alignment. Why the Reds should consider Sheehan, Sirota and Morales Sheehan addresses Cincinnati’s need for starting options immediately. The right-hander recorded a 4.57 ERA with 132 strikeouts and 33 walks across 112 1/3 innings in 2026. His ERA demands realistic expectations, but his strikeouts and control give the Reds something to develop. With team control through 2029, he could contribute across multiple seasons instead of serving as a temporary bridge. Hunter Greene’s recovery from Tommy John surgery increases the importance of finding usable innings. Sheehan would not replace an ace by himself, but he would give Cincinnati another pitcher capable of taking major league starts. Sirota would provide the package’s closest position-player opportunity. He batted .307 with a .461 on-base percentage, 17 home runs and a .987 OPS across three minor league levels in 2026. His season included 71 games at Double-A and a brief Triple-A appearance. Those distinctions matter because he would compete for a future major league role rather than arrive as a guaranteed Opening Day starter. Cincinnati originally drafted Sirota before sending him to Los Angeles in the Gavin Lux trade. Reacquiring him would require evaluating the player he has become, without allowing the earlier transaction to dictate his present value. Morales supplies another significant offensive investment . He hit .295 with 26 home runs and a .928 OPS between Single-A and High-A in 2026. His infield background gives the Reds a possible successor to develop, although they should not assume he will remain at shortstop or duplicate De La Cruz’s production. His timetable would need to follow his readiness. Both clubs must justify what they surrender Cincinnati finished 75-87 in 2026. Improving several positions could offer a stronger route forward, but subtracting its best hitter would create an immediate offensive problem. The Reds should therefore judge this package against keeping De La Cruz and upgrading around him. Avoiding future arbitration raises would not, by itself, justify surrendering three seasons of a star. The Dodgers would face their own opportunity cost . Losing Sheehan would reduce rotation depth, while trading Sirota and Morales would remove two potential everyday players. Neither organization should mistake a plausible exchange for proof that the other club is ready to agree. The Dodgers should present this offer because it gives the Reds current pitching along with substantial offensive upside without requiring a return composed entirely of projections. The Reds should consider it only if their evaluations support all three players. The proposal exchanges immediate star production for multiple credible paths toward a stronger roster. Related: MLB rumors: Jon Heyman urges Yankees to trade for Corey Seager, but there’s a ‘twist’ Related: MLB rumors: Logan Gilbert, Steven Kwan, Joe Ryan, Sandy Alcantara all part of intriguing trade update