Cubs Rumors: Cody Bellinger latest, new trade target, tough Yamomoto butterfly effect

Cubs Rumors: Latest on Cody Bellinger in free agency

It's among the worst-kept secrets in baseball this offseason that the Chicago Cubs would like to bring back Cody Bellinger after the former NL MVP recaptured his All-Star form after signing a one-year deal in the Windy City for the 2023 campaign. The question, though, is where things stand with Bellinger.

Frankly, there isn't one total package of concrete information, but we can start to put some of the puzzle pieces together.

For one, MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand noted that Bellinger's representation, famed super-agent Scott Boras, has been willing to play the long game. But now that Ohtani and Yamamoto have signed, things could start to really progress.

"Snell, Bellinger, Chapman and Jordan Montgomery – the second-best free-agent starting pitcher left – have another thing in common: They’re all represented by Scott Boras, who has never been shy about playing the waiting game in free agency.

"Many had assumed that Boras’ big four would wait until Ohtani and Yamamoto signed before making their own moves, and now that the two Japanese stars are off the board, those players can take center stage on the hot stove."

Now that Boras may be more willing to get his clients into the mix at this point, though, that says nothing of the Cubs' potential involvement. That's where we can bring New York Magazine and MLB Network's Will Leitch into the fold. Appearing on the network's High Heat show, Leitch named the Toronto Blue Jays as the favorites. He did not, however, rule out a return to the Cubs, listing them as the No. 3 team right now and saying a reunion still "makes a lot of sense as well."

With Boras reportedly holding a hard line at $200 million for a Bellinger deal, the Cubs are going to have to gamble big that 2023 is back to the norm for the outfielder if they want to bring him back. The buzz with other teams being seen as the favorites ahead of Chicago does indicate that might cause an issue, but as the market -- particularly at the top -- starts to dry up, perhaps Hoyer looks to get aggressive and simply ponies up the dough to not take one step forward in the 2023 season only to take two back in the offseason.