Only three teams in the National League have a worse record than the Cincinnati Reds, which would presumably make the NL Central team a seller ahead of Monday's trade deadline. Rob Bradford of Audacy Sports reported teams checking on the trade status of Elly De La Cruz "are being told not to bother." After all, De La Cruz is under team control through the 2029 campaign and one of the franchise cornerstones for the future even if the 2026 season isn't going according to plan. Having Burns and De La Cruz as building blocks is a better start than many struggling teams have, and there remains hope for the future in Cincinnati. In just his fourth MLB season, De La Cruz has a resume that features two All-Star Game selections and a top-10 finish in MVP voting.