Trading Elly De La Cruz could be the Reds' fastest path to contention

The article argues that trading All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz would be Cincinnati's best path to contention, citing the Milwaukee Brewers' success as a model. The Brewers have reached the World Series by trading away star players like Corbin Burnes and Josh Hader while developing prospects through a strong farm system and offering pre-arbitration deals to keep costs down. Former Reds player Joey Votto supports this approach, noting that De La Cruz will command $50-60 million annually and that allocating half or a third of payroll to one player doesn't make financial sense for a small-market franchise.

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