Reds president reveals where things stand on Elly De La Cruz extension talks
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is widely regarded as one of the brightest talents in all of the major leagues. He boasts plenty of power with the bat, a reliable glove in defense and blistering pace between the bases.
This year, De La Cruz is enjoying a solid season, with a .273 batting average, 16 home runs and 50 RBIs. Still only 23 years old, he is under club control until 2029, before he enters free agency at 27.
Reds fans are keen to keep De La Cruz around for the long run, and with the promise he is showing, there is a great chance his services will cost top dollar. Addressing his potential extension in advance may prove to be a shrewd course of action.
However, as Cincinnati president Nick Krall revealed on Sunday, past efforts at securing an extension did not succeed. There have also been no new developments.
"Obviously, he (Elly De La Cruz) is one of the best players in the league. We made a run at it (getting an extension), and obviously didn't get anything done," Krall said, via MLB Network Radio.
"We've had those conversations and that's not something that we've been able to match up on, so hopefully there's something there, but as of right now, there's no talks that are currently happening."
Giants legend talks about the one aspect of Elly De La Cruz's game that needs improvement
Looking at his defensive and offensive quality, many would make the assumption that Elly De La Cruz is one of those players that "have it all" in their game. They may be right, but one aspect of his game — avoiding strikeouts — is still something he needs to work on.
Former San Francisco Giants first baseman Will Clark discussed how De La Cruz has already surpassed Tony Gwynn's career strikeout numbers.
"He's (Elly De La Cruz) already passed Tony (Gwynn), and he's only been in the big leagues two-and-a-half years," Clark said on June 8 (55:48), via Ryan Ripken's YouTube channel. "So it's like, you know, how can you have that much talent, as Elly does, and not put the ball in play?
"If you put the ball in play with all of that talent right there, you directly influence every outcome of every game that the Cincinnati Reds play."
As the season progresses, Reds fans will be hoping De La Cruz can continue to work on his game and become an even more complete player.