The Cincinnati Reds need a way to keep Elly De La Cruz happy and win more games before he (mostly) inevitably leaves town for a big shiny contract in a few years.
What if the best way to do that is to trade with the Atlanta Braves for Ronald Acuña Jr.?
It’s not something anyone is talking about, but there is plenty of chatter in general about Acuña as a trade candidate.
And there’s something different about Acuña that brings him into the realm of smaller-market teams like the Reds, something that bears worth watching if there’s truly a bidding war for his services at some point this offseason.
Ronald Acuña Jr. Contract Key
Acuña, unlike most superstars, comes for a totally fair value — and in his case, it’s really a bargain.
His current contract has two club option years remaining — he has played out the regular years on the deal, but whatever club has him can exercise a club option for 2027 and can then do it again for 2028.
And because Acuña signed this contract when he was first getting to the major leagues, the values are total bargains.
His option years for both 2027 and 2028 would pay him $17 million in each of those seasons.
That’s something that any team in baseball, if they so choose, could afford.
The Reds were ready to pay Kyle Schwarber more than that last offseason, so even though they generally don’t dish out a ton, that’s a price they could afford.
If it’s the cost of keeping Elly happy for a few years and potentially making the playoffs, it would end up feeling quite worthwhile.
$17 Million Difference
It’s just so rare to see a potential superstar available whose cost per season would be $17 million. That’s what should get the attention of the Reds, and frankly every team that feels like them — the Cleveland Guardians, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, etc.
Those teams would never trade for a guy like Bo Bichette to pay him $42 million per year. But to pay Acuña $17 million in a season? That seems quite reasonable.
It does probably raise his trade cost as far as prospect haul, but small-market teams like the Reds are well aware that they need to build good far systems to stay competitive. They’ve got young pieces that could appeal if the Braves decide to make a bold move and shift their competitive timeline.
This is all about the money. In an open market, money talks in baseball. But in a trade for an existing bargain contract, it’s actually other assets that will determine who would land Acuña in a deal.
For the Reds, getting a player like Acuña from another team would normally be impossible for some combination of money and value. In this case, though, it’s a real possibility — if the Reds let it be one.
Reds Trading for Ronald Acuña Jr. Isn’t Impossible