3 Cubs who weren’t traded at the deadline, but will be gone this offseason

Cody Bellinger might want to stay at Wrigley, but has earned himself a big new contract

Cody Bellinger has hinted that he would be open to staying with the Cubs on a new contract. The star outfielder and former MVP who looked completely broken before 2023 has completely revitalized his reputation this season with Chicago. After signing a one-year contract, he will command a hefty price tag in free agency on his next deal.

I suspect Bellinger probably won’t want to take much of a discount on what could be his last multi-year lucrative deal of his career. The Cubs will get outbid for Bellinger.

There were certainly opportunities to try to sell high on Bellinger as a trade deadline rental. Plenty of teams — the Yankees perhaps most notable — were looking for an outfielder with a bat, and Bellinger’s versatility as a DH, outfielder, and first-baseman made him plenty attractive.

The Cubs were winning, though, and decided to be buyers rather than sellers. Nothing wrong with that, as fans at Wrigley would rather see the team get serious about winning than sell off smart contracts at the first chance they get.

Bellinger will want to stay in Chicago, and Chicago will want to keep him. The team just won’t have the money to match the sizable offers he’ll get in free agency.