A Chicago Cubs-Cody Bellinger reunion is more likely than ever
By Curt Bishop
Last offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers elected to non-tender Cody Bellinger, making him a free agent. The Chicago Cubs took a flyer on him, and he returned to his old form after a few down years.
Bellinger hit .307 with 26 home runs, 97 RBI, and an OPS of .881. Once again, the slugger and star outfielder is a free agent and is highly sought after this winter.
At the onset of the offseason, he was expected to be targeted by the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees. However, both New York and San Francisco have added power bats to their lineup this winter. Cubs analyst Michael Cerami discussed why this could ultimately bode well for the Cubs.
Could Bellinger be back in Chicago with the Cubs?
With the Giants and Yankees having already added sluggers to their lineup, the chances of Bellinger returning the North Side could be increasing.
Cerami explains that the Cubs could get creative with a new contract for Bellinger. The former MVP is a client of Scott Boras, who is very skilled at making "mystery teams" a reality. Such examples include Xander Bogaerts joining the San Diego Padres and Carlos Correa signing with the Minnesota Twins.
The first time Correa signed with the Twins, he was given a three-year deal with opt-out clauses after each of the first two seasons. He opted out after the first year and returned to the Twins on a much larger deal. Cerami explains that Bellinger could be given a similar deal to that of Correa back in 2022 as a means to bet on himself and create an opportunity to secure a larger deal.
This all depends on what Bellinger is being offered. He might be smart to work out a deal similar to Correa's 2022 agreement with the Twins. In this way, Bellinger would have two more chances to prove himself if he struggled in year one.
As Cerami explains, this could be the best way for the Cubs to secure a reunion with Bellinger. Earlier in the offseason, Jesse Rogers had reported that the Cubs were more likely to add pieces via trade than in free agency. But a shorter-term deal for Bellinger could change all of that.
It will be interesting to see how things shake out in Bellinger's market. But the Cubs may now have a better chance of landing him.
feed