Toronto Blue Jays get hard to believe update linking them to Elly De La Cruz
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Victor William
Jan 31, 2026 (1:03 PM)
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Photo credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Elly De La Cruz has officially bet on himself, and his refusal to sign a historic extension with the Reds has cracked the door open for a franchise-altering heist. When a Scott Boras client turns down over $225 million, it usually means one thing: he is eyeing the open market, and the vultures are already circling.
The baseball world is buzzing with reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers are plotting to make him their next "super-team" acquisition, effectively turning the league into their personal playground.
But this is where Ross Atkins needs to step in and flip the script.
Elly De La Cruz (Signed as Int'l FA, 2018 by Reds) is the most electric athlete in the sport today.
Even in a "down" 2025 season where he battled injuries, he still posted 22 home runs, 37 stolen bases, and 86 RBIs while playing elite defense at shortstop.
He is a switch-hitting unicorn who creates chaos every time he touches the dirt.
The narrative is clear: if he stays in Cincinnati without a deal, the trade rumors will eventually start.
Local commentary is already urging the Jays to be the team that disrupts the Dodgers' master plan. https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-blue-jays-told-to-thwart-dodgers-plan-after-scott-boras-pushes-twenty-four-year-old-star-to-reject-reds-historic-deal/
Toronto must become the aggressor to save baseball
We watched Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto go West, and it hurt.
Letting De La Cruz eventually join that lineup would be a death sentence for competitive balance.
The Blue Jays have the prospect capital to entice the Reds if they decide to pivot, and they have the payroll to satisfy Boras.
Imagine an infield with Vladdy and Elly—it would be the most entertaining duo in Blue Jays history.
De La Cruz is arbitration-eligible in 2027, meaning he isn't free for a while, but the clock is officially ticking in Cincy.
Fans are tired of being the "runner-up" for superstars.
This is a chance to be the villain who steals the jewel before the Dodgers can even make an offer.
If there is a way to get "La Cocoa" north of the border, you do it, no questions asked.
Also read on Toronto Baseball Insider :
Blue Jays have potential 3-player trade in place for outfielder with 170 hits last season
Blue Jays have potential 3-player trade in place for outfielder with 170 hits last season