The Boston Red Sox certainly upgraded before the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline, but they didn't get every deal they attempted to make done. Boston wrapped up the deadline by acquiring three-time All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman, reliever Erik Miller, and outfielder Eli White. On top of these three, the Red Sox landed infielder Curtis Mead from the Washington Nationals just a few days before the actual deadline. The Red Sox are in a better place than they were in, but they could've gotten even better if the Cincinnati Reds budged. The Red Sox tried to make a splash and USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that Boston "tried to convince" the Reds to trade shortstop Elly de la Cruz, but failed to do so."The Boston Red Sox tried to convince the Cincinnati Reds to trade shortstop Elly de la Cruz, but never came close to acquiring him," Nightengale wrote. The Red Sox Should Call Cincinnati After The SeasonAug 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) on the field against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThis isn't the first time reports have surfaced this summer indicating that the Red Sox were interested in de la Cruz. MassLive.com's Sean McAdam also reported that Boston showed interest in the Reds superstar. Landing Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles was a major shocker, to say the least. It's not every day that you see a mid-season blockbuster trade between two division rivals centered around a star as big as the All-Star catcher. While this is the case, if the Red Sox could've gotten de la Cruz from the Reds, that would've been an even bigger shocker. Rutschman has just one more season of team control left beyond the 2026 season. De la Cruz has three more seasons of team control left. He's just 24 years old and is one of the best overall players in the game right now. De la Cruz is a five-tool player who is slashing .274/.356/.504 with an .860 OPS, 20 homers, 54 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, 18 doubles and five triples in 97 games played. Shortstop is a position that is completely up in the air for the Red Sox in the long term. With Marcelo Mayer traded away, he obviously isn't the long-term answer any longer. No. 1 prospect Franklin Arias could certainly be an option, but it's too early to know. Trevor Story is 33 years old. He's on the Injured List right now, but is working his way back. When he does get back on the field, he'll help at shortstop. But he isn't the long-term answer either. De la Cruz could've been if the Reds made him available. The fact that the Red Sox have shown interest is intriguing, to say the least. When the 2026 season comes to an end and the Red Sox look around for ways to add, they should give Cincinnati a call once again. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow