Cubs Rumors: Extending Cody Bellinger is a priority in Chicago

Chicago Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins suggested that the team would like to give outfielder Cody Bellinger a contract extension.

The Chicago Cubs are slightly below .500 entering May 10, but are still less than a handful of games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for first place in the NL Central. This offseason, the team took a gamble on former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder and 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger on a one-year contract, and thus far it has paid off. Over a month into the season, Bellinger is statistically one of the Cubs’ best hitters in the lineup.

So, is this just a one-year stop for Bellinger in Chicago? Or could there be a long-term commitment incoming?

During an appearance on “The Mully and Haugh Show” on 670 The Score on Wednesday, Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins expressed that the team would like to have Bellinger “here for a long time,” and that they will have conversations at “an appropriate time.”

"“If you asked me, ‘Hey, do you want a plus defensive center fielder that can hit both righties and lefties with some power and is great in the clubhouse?’ Like, yeah, I’ll take that,” Hawkins said, h/t Cubbies Crib. “So, we’re really excited about having him be here and would love to find a way to have him here for a long time. When there’s an appropriate time to have those conversations, we’ll have them.””"

Cubs: GM Carter Hawkins ‘would love to find a way’ to keep Cody Bellinger

In regards to the conversations, it will be interesting to see when Hawkins and the Cubs’ front office opens the line of communication to Bellinger. Would outfielder like to strike a deal while the iron’s hot? Or does he want to further bank on himself, continue to bat and field at a productive level and cash-in during free agency this winter? That is the question.

Prior to the Cubs’ May 10 game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Bellinger owns a .291 batting average, a .366 on-base percentage, a .543 slugging percentage, a .909 OPS, seven home runs, 19 RBI, 28 runs scored and 37 hits through 35 games played. Primarily playing in center field, Bellinger owns a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage after recording 85 putouts and two assists in 87 total chances.

There is still so much season to go for Bellinger and the Cubs, but even in the first month of the season, teams have dished out contract extensions. The Cubs did so with Ian Happ, and so did the Pirates with Bryan Reynolds.

Can Bellinger keep it up? If he does, he could get rewarded with a long-term deal, either with the Cubs or another team in free agency.