Fansided

3 Cubs stealing money from the team thanks to bad contracts

By Zachary Rotman

Sep 4, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) leaves a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) leaves a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 12, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) reacts after striking out to end the fourth inning of game two of the NLDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) reacts after striking out to end the fourth inning of game two of the NLDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Former MVP Cody Bellinger is a shell of the player he once was

Cody Bellinger burst onto the scene in 2017 and won the NL Rookie of the Year award after hitting 39 home runs in just 132 games. After a slightly disappointing 2018 campaign, Bellinger won the NL MVP award after slashing .305/.406/.629 with 47 home runs and 115 RBI. Bellinger tacked on a Gold Glove as well as he had developed into one of, if not the league’s best defensive outfielders.

Following the MVP season, things really collapsed for Bellinger. He’s slashed .203/.272/.376 with 41 home runs and 134 RBI in 295 games played. Bellinger hit more home runs in his MVP year and nearly hit more in his rookie year than he has in the last three seasons combined. He’s become an all-or-nothing type of hitter as he struck out 27.3% of the time this past season. That number was at 16.3% in 2019 and has gone up every season since.

Bellinger was non-tendered by the Dodgers and signed a one-year deal with the Cubs. The deal has a mutual option for 2024 and guarantees Bellinger $17 million.

I like Bellinger and think he’ll be better than he was at the end of his Dodgers tenure. The shift going away should help him and a new environment won’t hurt but let’s not pretend that he was worth the money he got from Chicago. I get that he’s a former MVP, but he has a .648 OPS and a 74 OPS+ in the last three seasons. Hopefully, he can re-discover that MVP swing, but until it happens, I don’t believe it will.

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