Last spring, the Cincinnati Reds offered star shortstop Elly De La Cruz a long-term contract extension that would’ve made him the highest-paid player in franchise history, <a href="https://x.com/theathleticmlb/status/2012369503108141268?s=46&t=t6qfGZ6migmohNaMOzJc8w">per The Athletic</a>. Currently, Joey Votto owns that tile for signing a 10-year, $225 million contract extension in 2012.



De La Cruz has been playing for the Reds since 2023 when he was promoted to the major leagues. He’s earned All-Star honors the past two seasons and was the <a href="https://www.on3.com/pro/category/mlb/news/">MLB</a>‘s stolen base leader in 2024. At only 24 years old, De La Cruz is one of the biggest stars in the league.



Last year, De La Cruz was a cover athlete on MLB The Show 25, becoming the first Reds player ever to be a cover athlete for the beloved video game series. De La Cruz finished the 2025 season with a .282 batting average, 22 home runs and 86 RBI. He stole 37 bases, a far cry from his 67 stolen bases the previous season.



When De La Cruz was offered the enormous contract last spring, he reportedly said, “I let my agent take care of all of that.” While some fans may criticize De La Cruz for passing up on such a lucrative payday, history has shown patience can pay dividends.



Juan Soto turned down numerous offers, including a reported $440 million deal from the Washington Nationals, before signing a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets last offseason. Perhaps De La Cruz is hoping for a similar result down the line.



Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean Elly De La Cruz is looking for a way out of Cincinnati. De La Cruz praised the city and its fans in a conversation with Cincinnati Magazine last year.



“The way the fans back you up on the baseball field, that’s been fun,” <a href="https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/elly-de-la-cruz/">De La Cruz said</a>. “They cheer for you. I really, really appreciate the old Cincinnati teams. [Larkin and Davis] have both always been people who back me up. Not only during the season, but in the offseason as well. They always give me advice. They care about me.



“… I’m going to tell you something: I don’t think about the future,” he says. “I don’t keep thinking about what’s going to happen. Am I going to be this or that? I prefer today. I live in today. I live day by day. I don’t think about those things.”

Elly De La Cruz turns down contract

5GOATs

Elly De La Cruz declined Reds’ record-setting contract offer

team image

Pro News

NFL News

NFL Draft News

NASCAR

NBA News

NBA Draft News

Culture

Sports Betting

About

Football

Basketball

Women's Basketball

Softball

Baseball

Alabama

Arizona State

Arizona

Arkansas

Auburn

Baylor

Boston College

California

Removed

Clemson

Colorado

Duke

Florida

Florida State

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Iowa State

Kansas

Kansas State

Kentucky

Lettermen Row

Lettermen Lounge

Louisville

Maryland

Miami

Michigan State

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi State

Missouri

NC State

Nebraska

North Carolina

Northwestern

Notre Dame

Ohio State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Ole Miss

The Main Board

Oregon

Oregon State

Penn State

Pittsburgh

Purdue

Rutgers

South Carolina

Stanford

Syracuse

Tennessee

Texas A&M

Texas

Texas Tech

UCLA

Utah

Vanderbilt

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest

Washington

Washington State

West Virginia

Wisconsin

BamaOnLine

BOL Round Table

Inside Texas

IT Members Only

DawgsHQ

Dawg Walk

Scoop Duck

Recruiting & Sports

AuburnSports

The Corner

WeAreSC

GarryP's Trojan Huddle

The Wolverine

The Fort

The Lions Den

The Wolfpacker

The Wolves’ Den

GatorsOnline

Swamp Talk

Alabama A&M

Alabama State

Albany

Alcorn State

Abilene Christian

Appalachian State

Akron

Army

Austin Peay

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Arkansas-Little Rock

Arkansas State

Air Force

Ball State

American

Wofford

Winthrop

Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Wisconsin-Green Bay

Wichita State

Western Carolina

Volleyball

Gymnastics

Men's Lacrosse

Women's Lacrosse

Men's Soccer

Women's Soccer

Women's Track

Men's Golf

Women's Golf

Men's Hockey

Women's Hockey

Men's Swimming

Women's Swimming

Wrestling

Men's Tennis

Women's Tennis

Annual $1

Annual Premium

Annual $1 

Monthly

Annual

Unlimited Access to This and All Articles.

Article (On3 Plus Rivals)

Forum (On3 Plus Rivals)

Intro

Join

College scoop, experts, and community - all in one.

Winback

Goes scorched earth on Ole Miss

Dabo Swinney

Uncertainty as decision looms

Jordan Seaton

New details emerge

Bediako ruling

Expected to stay at 12 teams

College Football Playoff

Texas announces surgery for QB

Arch Manning health