Cincinnati Reds fans have been spoiled, even with the club’s recent disappointments, by the honor of watching a once-in-a-generation talent every game. Elly De La Cruz is certainly one of the best players of his era, and his determination to put the Reds on his back for 162 games is inspirational (and perhaps personally costly).
However, those qualities could also make De La Cruz one of the highest paid players in the majors when he hits free agency in four years. The Reds need to make use of their superstar before his value exceeds their budget.