The Mariners should be willing to make a trade that hurts. Elly De La Cruz is definitely a guy worth having that conversation over.

We can get attached to the ceilings of the Mariners young players. There are good baseball reasons to like them. Simultaneously, there’s also a good baseball reason to put their names in the same offer: Seattle could bring home a player capable of changing the lineup around their core.

Here’s the proposal: Ryan Sloan, Cole Young, Felnin Celesten and Jonny Farmelo to the Cincinnati Reds for De La Cruz.

This is our construction, with no claim that either front office has discussed it, or would even be interested. But the price is substantial enough to deserve a look from Seattle.

Four promising players leaving town would make for an uncomfortable afternoon. Watching Elly step into the Mariners’ lineup would help.

Why a Mariners Trade for Elly De La Cruz Starts With Ryan Sloan and Cole Young

There are several mock trades out there, and we purposely chose a different route here. Sloan carries this offer. He ranked eighth overall in MLB Pipeline’s August update, giving the Reds a premium pitching prospect to build the return around.

Seattle would be surrendering the chance to develop another frontline starter. That’s the real sacrifice here, especially for an organization whose roster has leaned so heavily on its pitching.

Keeping Kade Anderson makes it easier to defend. Though realistically, the Reds would have every right to ask for Anderson instead, or both. Anderson has already reached the majors, giving Seattle a more immediate rotation option. We can prefer that roster fit without pretending we know which young pitcher will have the better career.

Young brings a different kind of value. Cincinnati would get a major-league infielder who could contribute while the rest of the package develops. They could keep him at the keystone, or slide him over to shortstop.

His inclusion would hurt, and it should. Seattle would be trading someone who can help its next team win games, and his departure would create another decision at second base. The Reds would also need to sort out their infield.

Celesten gives Cincinnati a potential future answer at shortstop. He finished his 2026 minor-league season with 16 homers, 25 steals and an .821 OPS. The appeal is the chance to develop an everyday player at a premium position, with the usual uncertainty that comes with asking a prospect to grow into that job.

Then Farmelo makes this an expensive offer all the way through. His 2026 minor-league production included 17 home runs, 41 steals and a .375 on-base percentage. Cincinnati would get another path to an impact player, this time in the outfield, a place they’ve consistently struggled to develop.

There’s a coherent return that works for the Reds in this offer: pitching upside, immediate infield help, a potential shortstop and an outfield prospect with several ways to contribute.

How Elly De La Cruz Would Transform the Mariners’ Lineup

From Seattle’s side, the attraction is more obvious. De La Cruz would bring power, speed and the ability to flip an inning. Put that talent alongside Rodríguez, Raleigh and Naylor. The Mariners would give opposing pitchers another hitter who demands their full attention.

With club control through 2029, Seattle would have three seasons to turn that investment into a contender. That’s enough runway to justify a major offer. It also creates urgency to finish the roster around him.

Trading Young would leave work to do. But keep in mind that they would be keeping guys like Bryan Woo, Lazaro Montes and Anderson to preserve important pieces, but acquiring Elly couldn’t become the excuse to declare the offseason finished.

Cincinnati could and probably would still reject the whole thing. The Reds would be surrendering their franchise centerpiece, and they could demand Anderson or a more established impact hitter. Four players coming back doesn’t automatically make their team better. At the same time, re-signing Elly is also unlikely. At some point, they will listen to offers.

Still, this is a price Seattle should be prepared to discuss. We would be giving up talent we actually value for a player we could reasonably expect to make the Mariners more dangerous immediately.

We’ve spent plenty of time imagining what Seattle’s young players might become. For Elly De La Cruz, we should be willing to trade some of that future and find out what this lineup can become now.