4 moves the Cubs should make after inking Cody Bellinger to 3-year deal
By Josh Wilson
Cody Bellinger is a Cub again. The most telegraphed offseason move was finally made, just a few days into Spring Training.
Ultimately, I don't love the deal, but it's probably one that had to be made at this stage in the season.
Optimistic fans have reacted suggesting agent Scott Boras and Bellinger lost considering he and his client didn't come close to the desired $250 million in total value. Never mind the fact that Boras anchored the Cubs on a high number to ultimately walk away with a still-extraordinarily high AAV and highly flexible, player-friendly deal that gives Bellinger plenty of opportunities to re-enter the market if he's playing well or keep taking cash from the Cubs if he's not playing well.
Boras won here and I won't be convinced otherwise.
Anyway, Chicago has finally lifted off on its offseason with the Bellinger move finally done. They got a late start, but can still make some moves here to fill out their roster and answer some of the biggest questions remaining before Opening Day. Here are four things they should do.
Sign Adam Duvall for depth
H/T to my colleague Cody Williams for tossing this idea my way which makes a lot of sense for Chicago to consider.
Truth be told, the Cubs didn't make many offseason moves because they didn't really have to. Look at their lineup, one that looks pretty solid, and consider how many of those names are returning plug-and-play from last year.
Sure, there's reason to whine a bit about the lack of action on the bullpen, but it's not as if Jed Hoyer and the Cubs were asleep at the wheel on pitching. They added Shota Imanaga to the rotation, a really exciting pluck from the international side of the market.
At this point, most moves the Cubs would need to make and have available to them would be depth adds. Adam Duvall fits that bill, still on the market for signing. Duvall can be a spot-filler for first base and outfield, two positions that are still somewhat up in the air for Chicago. Mainly, first base is the black hole for Chicago, with a question of whether the Cubs will pull up a prospect or ask someone like Bellinger to fill in there now that they have him back.
Perhaps instead, they can sign Duvall with the intention that he'll be a regular fixture there.
Duvall can slug but overall projects more as a reliable, average-level hitter. He'd plug some holes defensively and surely make Craig Counsell's job a bit easier when trying to figure out defensive alignments, off days, and lineups because of his versatility.
Optionality never hurts on the fringes of the roster, and Duvall certainly brings that.