LOS ANGELES — One of MLB’s most promising young stars, Elly De La Cruz, has sent the baseball world into a frenzy with a surprising message to the Los Angeles Dodgers — the team currently winning the World Series and the dream of millions of fans. Shortly after the Cincinnati Reds’ short-lived star rejected a record-breaking contract from the Great American Ball Park team — a historic deal that could surpass Joey Votto’s $225 million — De La Cruz publicly showed clear interest in the Dodgers, exciting LA fans and prompting MLB attention to the possibility of him wearing Dodger Blue in the future.
While the Reds offered De La Cruz the biggest contract in franchise history, the 24-year-old — a two-time All-Star with the potential to become a superstar — chose not to accept, retaining his free agent status after the 2029 season. This opens up a major prospect not only for the Reds but also for other major teams, especially the Dodgers — a team with strong financial resources and a stable position at the top of MLB.
While De La Cruz hasn’t publicly declared himself a Dodgers fan, his actions after rejecting the contract have led many to believe he’s looking beyond the Reds. Observers believe that rejecting the contract shows De La Cruz wants to choose a team that aligns with his ambitions and personality, rather than committing long-term to a smaller market like Cincinnati. In other words, he’s opened the door to bigger teams with more attractive long-term programs – with the Dodgers being the most promising destination.
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Part of what makes the Dodgers an ideal choice for De La Cruz is not just their financial resources, but also their star-studded roster and continuous championship opportunities. They boast stars like Shohei Ohtani—whom De La Cruz has expressed admiration for—and Mookie Betts, who currently holds the shortstop position but is expected to relinquish that role around 2030, when Betts turns 37. This is the perfect gap for De La Cruz to fill.
Furthermore, De La Cruz is known to be a loyal fan of Ohtani, even jokingly saying he learned Japanese so he could talk to Ohtani after being selected for the All-Star team. This further reinforces the belief among Dodgers fans that one day, De La Cruz will not only be Ohtani’s teammate, but one of the new icons of this legendary team.
As soon as the news of De La Cruz rejecting the historic contract was announced, Dodgers fans immediately expressed their excitement — not just because of the contract itself, but because they saw a glimmer of hope for the future. On fan forums, the phrase “De La Cruz in Dodger Blue” appeared constantly as a big dream for the new generation of fans.
Some fans even began comparing De La Cruz to big stars who had worn the Dodgers jersey, asserting that if the trade had happened when he was at his peak (27–28 years old), the Dodgers would have possessed one of the most complete shortstops in MLB. These comments, while emotional, reflected the strong desire of the LA community — especially given the team’s potential for future shortstops.
In the 2025 season, De La Cruz will have played all 162 games for the Reds, recording 22 home runs, 86 RBIs, and a .776 slásh OPS, along with two All-Star appearances at the age of 24 — a remarkable achievement for a rising star. It’s a powerful reminder that he’s not just potential – he’s already a reality MLB needs to recognize.
While the Reds retain control of De La Cruz until his free agency in 2029, the trade between now and then could become a classic MLB saga: Will an ambitious young player forge his own path to ultimate glory? And if so, the Dodgers have everything it takes to make that dream a reality.
Not only Dodgers fans, but also the general MLB community and fans are curious about De La Cruz’s next move. Some have suggested that his early rejection of a contract is a sign of a superstar wanting to control his own career destiny, rather than committing long-term to a smaller team. These comments further fueled the speculation, especially since the Dodgers were considered the strongest candidates to sign De La Cruz as a free agent.
To date, De La Cruz has not officially made any extreme statements or directly invited the Dodgers. However, his historic rejection of a contract and his self-defeating comments, such as “I want to build my career my way,” have only increased the high expectations surrounding him in Los Angeles.
With the Dodgers’ wealth, titles, and appeal, coupled with De La Cruz’s interest in bigger teams — especially the team that thrilled him playing at Dodger Stadium in the past — one of the biggest transfer stories of the decade could be beginning right now.
The Dodgers have never lacked talent.
But perhaps they’re about to get Elly De La Cruz.