What Would the Red Sox Give the Reds for Elly De La Cruz?

One of the biggest surprises at the 2026 MLB trade deadline for the Cincinnati Reds was the report that the Boston Red Sox had contacted Cincinnati about a potential trade for superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

The two sides obviously weren't able to come to an agreement, and De La Cruz finished the 2026 season with the Reds, recording a 30-30 season.

However, rumors about a possible De La Cruz trade will continue all offseason until the lockout Dec. 1, and it sounds like the Red Sox will be one of the teams aggressively pursuing De La Cruz as they look to upgrade at shortstop.

MLB insider and former Reds general manager Jim Bowden reported Tuesday that the Red Sox will continue to pursue trades for De La Cruz and Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams as they look to make a big splash for a superstar-level player.

The return for De La Cruz would likely include some top prospects and major league players, and the Red Sox would be able to offer an interesting package along those lines.

One thing you can virtually guarantee is that Red Sox top prospect Franklin Arias would be included in any deal for De La Cruz. He's the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball, behind Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Jesús Made. Arias, 20, is coming off a 25-homer season across Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .323/.400/.557. He would be a candidate to slide right in as the Reds' starting shortstop after winning an MiLB Gold Glove in 2026, as he is a tier above current Reds shortstop prospects Steele Hall, Justin Lebron, and Tyson Lewis, who are all among Cincinnati's top five prospects.

Cincinnati would likely also want pitching help, and Payton Tolle and Erik Miller would be a big boost to the starting rotation and bullpen, respectively. Tolle, 24, went 9-6 in 2026 with a 3.03 ERA in 26 starts and 148 2/3 innings pitched. Miller, a 28-year-old left-handed reliever, was traded to the Red Sox at the 2026 deadline. He had a 2.98 ERA in 51 1/3 innings in 2026. The Reds currently don't have a left-handed reliever on the roster after designating Sam Moll for assignment in September, and Brock Burke recently hit the free-agent market.

Jarren Duran is a player I'd keep an eye on as well, not as a centerpiece of the deal, but as a sweetener to help get it across the finish line for both sides. The left-handed outfielder is coming off his worst offensive season, hitting .207 with 20 home runs and 69 RBIs. His OPS was just .627. He has been rumored to be a trade candidate for a while.