Every offseason has its big fish on the trade market, and this winter it might be Elly De La Cruz. The Reds finished 75-87 and in last place in the NL Central, and former Reds GM Jim Bowden believes Cincinnati would “absolutely” consider moving its star shortstop. The Red Sox plan to keep calling, and the Dodgers keep popping up in the rumor mill, which leaves the Reds firmly in the captain’s seat.

It’s easy to see why so many teams are interested, too. De La Cruz is 24, a two-time All-Star and coming off a 30-30 season in which he hit .283/.365/.515 with 79 RBI in 143 games, even with a June stint on the injured list. He’s two years removed from stealing 67 bases, and he’s under team control through 2029, with his first trip through arbitration coming this winter. Oh, and by the way, he’s not just an elite player on the field — he is a global, household name.

He has a Jordan brand deal, he has been a centerpiece of MLB’s own marketing campaigns, and his No. 44 consistently ranks among the league’s best-selling jerseys. He also turned down an extension offer that would have topped Joey Votto’s franchise-record $225 million, which tells you he knows exactly what he’s worth.

If the Tigers, who have a deep prospect pipeline, were to come calling, what would it take to get De La Cruz to Detroit?

Why a Max Clark, Zyhir Hope and Cameron Flukey package falls short for Elly De La Cruz

On paper, a trio of Max Clark, Zyhir Hope and Cameron Flukey is an exciting place to start, but it wouldn’t get a deal done. Clark is the only big leaguer of the three, and while his debut was electric, he hit .272 with three home runs over 51 games and is still working through the adjustments every young hitter faces.

Hope, the centerpiece of the Skubal return, mashed 29 homers with 111 RBI and 26 steals at Double-A, but he isn’t projected to arrive in Detroit until 2027. Flukey, a 6’6″ right-hander with a 60-grade fastball, has thrown only a handful of pro innings after a rib stress fracture wrecked his final college season, but has incredible upside.

At one point, I was a highly ranked pitching prospect, but at 28 I was done playing baseball — the game has a funny way of making sure nobody’s path is guaranteed. The Reds know it too. They reportedly turned down a Red Sox offer at the deadline because it was mostly prospects, and they were seeking young major leaguers instead.

So let’s play GM. With Kevin McGonigle locked up through 2034, he’s untouchable, which means Clark becomes the main piece of the trade and Hope and Flukey become the high-upside bets. From there, Detroit would likely have to add proven controllable talent, and Riley Greene is the first name Cincinnati would circle. The three-time All-Star just turned 26, posted a career-best .844 OPS with 21 homers, and is arbitration-eligible through 2028, so he’d give the Reds nearly as much control as they’d be giving up.

Another piece could be Troy Melton, who has quietly become one of the Tigers’ most reliable arms since debuting in July 2025. He made 20 starts in 2026 with a 2.76 ERA and 94 strikeouts over 114 1/3 innings, though durability is a fair question. An elbow injury kept him on the 60-day IL until late May, back tightness cost him a start in June, and he went back on the IL in September.

That’s five pieces for one player, and it would be a gut punch. Still, imagining De La Cruz’s speed and power on the left side of the infield next to McGonigle is enough to make any Tigers fan dream, even if this one stays firmly in the fan fantasy-land file.

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