In spring training of 2025, the Reds offered Elly De La Cruz a deal that would have made him the highest-paid player in franchise history.

He turned it down. 

Joey Votto’s record was 10 years and $225 million in 2012. In 2026 dollars, that deal is about $328 million. He then had the best season of his career on a last-place team. .283/.365/.515, 30 home runs, 30 steals, 30 doubles.

He is the fourth Red to go 30-30, after Eric Davis, Barry Larkin, and Brandon Phillips. On October 1, Phil Castellini called him a once-in-a-lifetime talent and said any extension has to sit inside a total strategic plan.

Mason Estep of RedsDaily.com breaks down and explains the Reds situation with Elly in today's episode.

Riverfront Territory is the official Cincinnati Reds show in the Foul Territory Network. Subscribe and share us with a friend! Subscribe to the podcast! 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4 Follow our social media channels for more content! https://x.com/RiverfrontPod

In spring training of 2025, the Reds offered Elly De La Cruz a deal that would have made him the highest-paid player in franchise history. He turned it down. Joey Votto&rsquo;s record was 10 years and $225 million in 2012. In 2026 dollars, that deal is about $328 million. He then had the best season of his career on a last-place team. .283/.365/.515, 30 home runs, 30 steals, 30 doubles. He is the fourth Red to go 30-30, after Eric Davis, Barry Larkin, and Brandon Phillips. On October 1, Phil Castellini called him a once-in-a-lifetime talent and said any extension has to sit inside a total strategic plan. Mason Estep of RedsDaily.com breaks down and explains the Reds situation with Elly in today's episode. Riverfront Territory is the official Cincinnati Reds show in the Foul Territory Network. Subscribe and share us with a friend! Subscribe to the podcast!&nbsp; <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387</a><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4">https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4</a> Follow our social media channels for more content! <a href="https://x.com/RiverfrontPod">https://x.com/RiverfrontPod</a>

Riverfront Territory is your go-to Cincinnati Reds show. Reds all-time saves leader Danny Graves unites with The Athletic's C. Trent Rosecrans to bring you year-round Reds analysis and insights. Riverfront Territory is part of the Foul Territory network: baseball the way it should be covered!

Riverfront Territory is your go-to Cincinnati Reds show. Reds all-time saves leader Danny Graves unites with The Athletic's C. Trent Rosecrans to bring you year-round Reds analysis and insights. Riverfront Territory is part of the Foul Territory network: baseball the way it should be covered!

Riverfront Territory: A Cincinnati Reds Podcast

Elly De La Cruz Already Said No

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5e9eaef2-2aed-4ef2-93f6-b4e1003aec68/transcript

The Reds will lose familiar faces in 2027, some of the longest tenured and biggest names. 

These are the 5 Reds who won't be back: TJ Friedl, Pierce Johnson, Eugenio Suárez, Brock Burke, and Tyler Stephenson.

We ranked them live and took fan votes in the comments, and added one fan-voted player at the end.

The Reds will lose familiar faces in 2027, some of the longest tenured and biggest names.

All comments during the live episode show behind the host on set! TJ Friedl is a minor-league free agent. He has history and character with the Reds, but he could show those things somewhere else and come back later.

Pierce Johnson was fine but nothing more.

Eugenio Suárez brought power the Reds did not need. The reunion was nice, but it was one of those where you are happy you saw your ex and you want her to be happy, and you also know you broke up for a reason. 

Brock Burke may have priced himself out of a return, but he is worth watching in the scramble right after the lockout. 

Tyler Stephenson could come back on a short-term deal if the lockout creates a mad scramble. Familiarity matters for a catcher.

Longtime Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans Mason Estep of RedsDaily.com breaks down and explains the Reds' expected 2027 roster changes in today's episode.

Riverfront Territory is the official Cincinnati Reds show in the Foul Territory Network. Subscribe and share us with a friend! Subscribe to the podcast! 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4 Follow our social media channels for more content! https://x.com/RiverfrontPod

The Reds will lose familiar faces in 2027, some of the longest tenured and biggest names. These are the 5 Reds who won't be back: TJ Friedl, Pierce Johnson, Eugenio Su&aacute;rez, Brock Burke, and Tyler Stephenson. We ranked them live and took fan votes in the comments, and added one fan-voted player at the end. The Reds will lose familiar faces in 2027, some of the longest tenured and biggest names. All comments during the live episode show behind the host on set! TJ Friedl is a minor-league free agent. He has history and character with the Reds, but he could show those things somewhere else and come back later. Pierce Johnson was fine but nothing more. Eugenio Su&aacute;rez brought power the Reds did not need. The reunion was nice, but it was one of those where you are happy you saw your ex and you want her to be happy, and you also know you broke up for a reason. Brock Burke may have priced himself out of a return, but he is worth watching in the scramble right after the lockout. Tyler Stephenson could come back on a short-term deal if the lockout creates a mad scramble. Familiarity matters for a catcher. Longtime Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans Mason Estep of RedsDaily.com breaks down and explains the Reds' expected 2027 roster changes in today's episode. Riverfront Territory is the official Cincinnati Reds show in the Foul Territory Network. Subscribe and share us with a friend! Subscribe to the podcast!&nbsp; <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387</a><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4">https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4</a> Follow our social media channels for more content! <a href="https://x.com/RiverfrontPod">https://x.com/RiverfrontPod</a>

5 Reds Players Not Coming Back 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/928d579a-d34e-445f-9a40-b4ec017758fe/transcript

Is this Elly De La Cruz’s last game as a Red? 

September 27 in Toronto.

Elly was the DH, went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, and the Reds lost 5-1.

Could that may be the last box score he ever has as a Red?

The CBA expires December 1. A lockout is expected - and trades freeze during lockouts.

If the lockout eats all of 2027, the first time the Reds can trade him is next winter, with two years of control left.

The last team in this spot was Washington with Juan Soto. They traded him with 2½ years left. The team that got him traded him again with one year left.

That’s the Soto plan. And the Reds are lined up to run it next.

Longtime Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans Mason Estep of RedsDaily.com breaks down and explains the Reds situation with Elly in today's episode.

Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount

Riverfront Territory is the official Cincinnati Reds show in the Foul Territory Network. Subscribe and share us with a friend! Subscribe to the podcast! 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4 Follow our social media channels for more content! https://x.com/RiverfrontPod

Is this Elly De La Cruz&rsquo;s last game as a Red? September 27 in Toronto. Elly was the DH, went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, and the Reds lost 5-1. Could that may be the last box score he ever has as a Red? The CBA expires December 1. A lockout is expected - and trades freeze during lockouts. If the lockout eats all of 2027, the first time the Reds can trade him is next winter, with two years of control left. The last team in this spot was Washington with Juan Soto. They traded him with 2&frac12; years left. The team that got him traded him again with one year left. That&rsquo;s the Soto plan. And the Reds are lined up to run it next. Longtime Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans Mason Estep of RedsDaily.com breaks down and explains the Reds situation with Elly in today's episode. Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: <a href="https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10">seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10</a> Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount Riverfront Territory is the official Cincinnati Reds show in the Foul Territory Network. Subscribe and share us with a friend! Subscribe to the podcast!&nbsp; <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387</a><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4">https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4</a> Follow our social media channels for more content! <a href="https://x.com/RiverfrontPod">https://x.com/RiverfrontPod</a>

Elly’s Last Game as a Red? 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d430e188-6489-42ea-8c50-b4e90012677b/transcript

The Reds are not the Brewers. The Brewers, Rays, and Guardians are all in the Championship Series. The Reds finished 75-87 and last in the NL Central.

Earlier this season Bob Castellini asked the front office “Why aren’t we the Brewers?”

According to reporting by Ken Rosenthal and C. Trent Rosecrans, Nick Krall answered with a list of trades ownership would not approve. 

The same reporting said ownership overruled the front office on specific player decisions last winter.

All-time Reds saves leader Danny Graves, Mason Estep of #RedsDaily, and long-time Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans break down what has happened with Reds fans of new and old in today's live and interactive episode on #RiverfrontTerritory

Riverfront Territory is the official Cincinnati Reds show in the Foul Territory Network. Subscribe and share us with a friend! Subscribe to the podcast! 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4 Follow our social media channels for more content! https://x.com/RiverfrontPod

The Reds are not the Brewers. The Brewers, Rays, and Guardians are all in the Championship Series. The Reds finished 75-87 and last in the NL Central. Earlier this season Bob Castellini asked the front office &ldquo;Why aren&rsquo;t we the Brewers?&rdquo; According to reporting by Ken Rosenthal and C. Trent Rosecrans, Nick Krall answered with a list of trades ownership would not approve. The same reporting said ownership overruled the front office on specific player decisions last winter. All-time Reds saves leader Danny Graves, Mason Estep of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/redsdaily">#RedsDaily</a>, and long-time Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans break down what has happened with Reds fans of new and old in today's live and interactive episode on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/riverfrontterritory">#RiverfrontTerritory</a> Riverfront Territory is the official Cincinnati Reds show in the Foul Territory Network. Subscribe and share us with a friend! Subscribe to the podcast!&nbsp; <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverfront-territory-a-cincinnati-reds-podcast/id1850399387</a><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4">https://open.spotify.com/show/4heEG0sq6wck3Pjqq7ge5N?si=43dbc61c2f7b42a4</a> Follow our social media channels for more content! <a href="https://x.com/RiverfrontPod">https://x.com/RiverfrontPod</a>

The Reds Are Not the Rays, Brewers, or Guardians

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/439216dc-de29-40f9-8a8b-b4e40144cb34/transcript

Elly De La Cruz Already Said No

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