In a new trade pitch published Wednesday and aimed at the Boston Red Sox, Elly De La Cruz would bring his 30-homer, 30-steal power and speed to Fenway Park, but the cost would be slugging right fielder Wilyer Abreu, top prospect Franklin Arias and two more players headed to the Cincinnati Reds.
That is the swap proposed by Red Sox podcaster Robbie Hyde, and posted to Baseball Trade Values Wednesday. Cincinnati would also receive infielder Kristian Campbell and backup catcher-first baseman Mickey Gasper. The site’s valuation model scores that four-player package at 68.1 against 66.4 for De La Cruz.
Would Hyde’s trade pitch solve the Red Sox offensive production problem that ultimately led to their quick elimination by the New York Yankees in the American League wild-card series, when Boston managed only two runs in 18 innings?
Let’s examine the deal.
Elly De La Cruz Trade Package for Boston Red Sox
De La Cruz, a 24-year-old switch-hitting shortstop born in Sabana Grande de Boya, Dominican Republic, stands 6-foot-6 and debuted June 6, 2023, against the Dodgers. The two-time All-Star hit .283/.365/.515 with 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases and 5.6 WAR this season, according to Baseball-Reference‘s player page. His career line: .262/.338/.463, 90 homers and 169 steals in 563 games. He earns $800,000, according to Spotrac‘s contract tracker, reaches arbitration in 2027 and hits free agency in 2030.
Abreu, 27, a left-handed right fielder born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, owns Gold Gloves from 2024 and 2025, and is likely in line for another one this year. He hit .248/.327/.446 with 24 homers and a league-best 38 doubles in 2026. His career totals stand at .253/.327/.457, 63 homers, 13.5 WAR in 432 games.
Arias, a 20-year-old shortstop from Caracas, Venezuela, signed with Boston in January 2023. He hit .323 with 25 homers, 91 RBI and a .957 OPS across Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. Prospect evaluators rank Arias as Boston’s No. 1 prospect, and No. 3 in baseball overall.
Campbell, 24, a Chattanooga, Tennessee, native and 2023 fourth-round pick, signed an eight-year, $60 million extension in April 2025 after a sizzling MLB debut that month. But he quickly slumped and was demoted. He hit .320/.440/.524 with six homers at Worcester after July 1, according to RotoWire. The Baseball Trade Values model values his production at 33.4 against 55 in remaining salary, a surplus of -21.6.
Gasper, 30, a Merrimack, New Hampshire, native out of Bryant and a 27th-round Yankees pick in 2018, returned to Boston on a February waiver claim. He hit .251/.357/.466 with 10 homers in 191 at-bats, including an eye-popping 1.671 OPS in August, according to MLB.com.
| ELLY DE LA CRUZ — CINCINNATI REDS | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS/3B • Bats: Both • Throws: Right • 6-6, 200 pounds • Born Jan. 11, 2002, Sabana Grande de Boya, Dominican Republic • MLB Debut: June 6, 2023 vs. LAD |
| STANDARD BATTING — REGULAR SEASON | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | WAR | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| 2023 | 21 | CIN | NL | 0.7 | 98 | 427 | 388 | 67 | 91 | 15 | 7 | 13 | 44 | 35 | 8 | 35 | 144 | .235 | .300 | .410 | .710 |
| 2024 ★ | 22 | CIN | NL | 5.2 | 160 | 696 | 618 | 105 | 160 | 36 | 10 | 25 | 76 | 67 | 16 | 69 | 218 | .259 | .339 | .471 | .809 |
| 2025 ★ | 23 | CIN | NL | 3.6 | 162 | 699 | 629 | 102 | 166 | 31 | 7 | 22 | 86 | 37 | 8 | 67 | 181 | .264 | .336 | .440 | .777 |
| 2026 | 24 | CIN | NL | 5.6 | 143 | 636 | 559 | 99 | 158 | 30 | 5 | 30 | 79 | 30 | 8 | 72 | 175 | .283 | .365 | .515 | .880 |
| 4 Yrs | 15.2 | 563 | 2458 | 2194 | 373 | 575 | 112 | 29 | 90 | 285 | 169 | 40 | 243 | 718 | .262 | .338 | .463 | .801 | |||
| 162 Game Avg | 4.4 | 162 | 707 | 631 | 107 | 165 | 32 | 8 | 26 | 82 | 49 | 12 | 70 | 207 | .262 | .338 | .463 | .801 | |||
| ★ All-Star selection • Bold = led National League • Bold italic = led all of MLB (2024: SB, CS, SO) • Contract: Pre-arb eligible in 2026, arbitration-eligible 2027, free agent 2030. Source: Baseball-Reference.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
Boston Red Sox Power Problem After Wilyer Abreu Exit
De La Cruz out-homered Abreu 30 to 24 and out-slugged him by 69 points. His 94.7 mph average exit velocity and 54.9% hard-hit rate also top Abreu’s 89.8 mph and 43.6%.
Then comes the other column. Abreu produced 5.9 WAR to De La Cruz’s 5.6, because his right-field defense rated +28 runs this season (+60 for his career) while De La Cruz rated -7 at shortstop. Abreu already posted a 117 OPS+, so the swap converts one productive regular into a 142 OPS+ hitter and opens a vacancy in right field.
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has identified the lineup as an area for supplements.
“We obviously have a lot of work to do,” Breslow said at the Red Sox’ season-ending news conference, as quoted by Tim Healey of The Boston Globe.
The money runs two directions. Boston sheds Campbell’s $60 million deal, the only negative-value contract in the model’s ledger. Cincinnati’s side shows De La Cruz’s remaining control at 192.1 in production against 125.8 in salary, while Abreu checks in at 71.1 against 46.9.
Arias alone rates 63.6, within 2.8 points of De La Cruz. Cincinnati would receive him, a Gold Glove outfielder and Campbell’s contract, and would give up one star.
Boston gets the bigger bat. Cincinnati gets the bigger return. Who says no?
Red Sox Trade Pitch Lands Elly De La Cruz For Wilyer Abreu-Led 4-Player Haul