Jorge Soler signing could be another sign of Cody Bellinger-Cubs reunion

The San Francisco Giants added one of the best power bats available in the form of Jorge Soler, inking the veteran to a three-year, deal worth $42 million. Soler gives the Giants the middle-of-the-order bat they've been seeking and at a very reasonable price.

While this deal doesn't fully eliminate them from the Cody Bellinger sweepstakes, it certainly makes the fit with the Giants less clear. The Giants appear mostly set in the outfield and at first base now that Soler is there to occupy the DH spot on a full-time basis.

The Giants were among the teams that made the most sense entering this offseason to sign Bellinger, and it would've been fun with his Dodgers history, but it's less than likely to occur now. With one more potential suitor likely out of the way, it's on Jed Hoyer to finally seal the deal and bring him home.

Suitors continue to bow out of dragged out Cody Bellinger sweepstakes

What other teams are even in on Cody Bellinger at this point? The Yankees seemed like a realistic landing spot early this offseason, but they traded for Alex Verdugo and Juan Soto. The Blue Jays felt like the likely landing spot after they missed out on Shohei Ohtani, but they chose to instead re-sign Kevin Kiermaier and snag Justin Turner as their big bat. Who else is there?

There's always a team like the Angels who can sign Bellinger if Arte Moreno decides he wants to make a splash one day, but the Chicago Cubs have felt like the optimal landing spot for months, and with the Giants signing Bellinger, that only makes it more likely that there is an eventual reunion.

The Cubs have had a fairly underwhelming offseason, with Hector Neris, Shota Imanaga, and Michael Busch as their only major additions. With Chicago already losing Marcus Stroman, they'd likely look worse on paper if Bellinger left too. They simply cannot afford to let that happen.

The price continues to be what holds up any Bellinger deal, but eventually, one side has to blink. The Cubs need him if they want to compete in an improved NL Central, and Bellinger simply needs somewhere to play. A lack of suitors could be what gets Bellinger back in the Windy City. All we can hope for is it happens sooner than later.