Once again, one of the top young talents in MLB is being linked to the Dodgers. And once again, it’s hard not to talk about money. So, if you think offering Kyle Tucker $60 million a year apparently wasn’t enough to cement their financial dominance, now rumors are swirling that L.A. could be eyeing a blockbuster move for the Reds’ rising star.

And if that happens, the baseball world would be on fire, especially considering this is all unfolding before we even know how much the player is truly worth. Early projections? Try a cool $1 billion. Yes, billion! With Cincinnati already failing to lock him down long-term despite making the richest offer in franchise history, the door might be wide open. And if there’s one team that knows how to walk through that door, it’s the Dodgers.

“If you’re being honest, you don’t expect him [De La Cruz] to take it because this is a guy who could be a billion-dollar player,” The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans said via Foul Territory. “I think Elly and his representation believe in him enough.”

Reportedly, the Reds already tried to lock up Elly De La Cruz with a historic offer, one that would’ve made him the highest-paid player in franchise history. Supposedly, it even topped Joey Votto’s 10-year, $225 million deal. Still, De La Cruz turned it down, and since then, the Dodgers buzz has only gotten louder.

But is it actually realistic to talk about Elly as a billion-dollar player?

Well, on paper, the case isn’t crazy. De La Cruz is heading into his final pre-arb year and won’t hit free agency until after the 2029 season. In 2025, he played all 162 games and put up a .264 average with a .776 OPS, 22 HRs, and 86 RBIs, and that was just his second full MLB season. The year before, he made history by becoming only the fifth player ever to post a 20-homer, 60-steal season, and the youngest to do it. He’s only 24 and hasn’t even sniffed his prime yet.

There’s also the star-power angle. De La Cruz is a loud, proud Shohei Ohtani fan. When he made his first All-Star team in 2024, he said he was learning Japanese just so he could talk to Ohtani. So, it sure sounds like someone who’d love to share a clubhouse with him.

As for the Dodgers, Mookie Betts is signed through 2032 and currently has shortstop locked down, but by 2030, he’ll be 37. That’s not exactly peak age for handling shortstop every day. By then, De La Cruz would be 27, right in the heart of his prime. And we all know the Dodgers have the money to make De La Cruz listen.

So yes, start bracing yourself for another Dodgers “top-of-the-lineup heist.” And this time, they might be the team that finally smashes through the billion-dollar barrier.

The Dodgers would have roadblocks before splashing a billion

While it sounds wild to talk about MLB’s first billion-dollar contract, it’s hard to ignore the roadblocks that could pop up, especially if the Dodgers are the ones trying to do it. Because other owners aren’t exactly thrilled with how L.A. has been operating.

According to MLB insider Evan Drellich, owners around the league were basically “raging” after the Dodgers landed Tucker in free agency this offseason. So much so that they’ll push hard for a salary cap the next time the league sits down to negotiate. And honestly, can we blame them?

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Just look at the numbers. The Dodgers are currently having 8 names on contracts north of $100 million. No other team is playing in that financial universe. So, with the current CBA set to expire after the 2026 season, a showdown over a salary cap feels inevitable. And if that fight is coming, it likely means the Dodgers would have to hit pause before making another earth-shattering splash.

So if a billion-dollar deal is ever going to happen, it might not be as imminent as it seems. The Dodgers may have to wait this one out.