3 Braves trade targets to poach from free-falling Cubs

2. Trading for Cody Bellinger gives the Braves elite outfield depth they lack

Even with Marcell Ozuna having bounced back mightily since the calendar turned to May, the Braves could still be in the market to improve the depth in the outfield. Eddie Rosario has been hot recently but, overall, has been maddeningly inconsistent. And for whatever reason, Brian Snitker seems reluctant to utilize Kevin Pillar and Sam Hilliard too often.

What has made things trickier for Atlanta, though, is the struggle of Michael Harris II this year. Not only did he miss a few weeks with injury, but the 2022 NL Rookie of the Year has been a negative at the plate for the most part this season — his go-ahead home run against the Mets on June 7 aside.

It would be most logical for the Braves to look to increase the depth in left field, but what if they, instead, looked to the Cubs and at a former MVP in Cody Bellinger?

Bellinger is a centerfielder by trade, which does complicate things as Snitker and the organization don’t want to move away from Harris as he battles through his prolonged slump. However, Bellinger does have experience outside of center and could be a potential piece to move around between left and center field depending on the game.

And Bellinger is enticing. After falling off a cliff in Los Angeles, he’s been resurgent in the 2023 season with Chicago, slashing .271/.337/.493 with seven home runs, 20 RBI and 17 total extra-base hits over 37 games.

The Cubs only signed Bellinger to a one-year deal this past offseason and, with him excelling, it remains to be seen if they’d want to hold onto him as part of their rebuild for the future. If not, then he is going to be a hot trade commodity, one that the Braves could undoubtedly pursue in order to fill a need that’s glaring at them, even if it’s another move that could be quite costly.