MLB Rumors: 3 best Cody Bellinger destinations after Ohtani deal

2) Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have been linked to just about every player available, including Ohtani. Bringing in a player like Ohtani would've been a game-changer for this Cubs team that narrowly missed out on the postseason in 2023. With him off the board, they might as well just go back to what worked.

The reality of the Cubs situation is there really is no way for them to improve without Bellinger on the roster now. It feels like Yoshinobu Yamamoto is ticketed for New York or Los Angeles. Juan Soto is off the board. What else can Jed Hoyer do? He can let Bellinger walk and let their young prospects take over, but how is banking on them to replace his production going to lead to winning?

The price tag is going to be expensive, that goes without saying. Bellinger's track record could easily scare the Cubs away from making such an expensive financial commitment. Still, the Cubs can't look their fans in the eye and say they're about winning if they let Bellinger walk after striking out on every other major free agent available.

The Cubs can't realistically sign Rhys Hoskins and a random starting pitcher and say they're going to win the NL Central just because they have Craig Counsell. That's not good enough. Their key to winning in the near future is by bringing back one of their own. A player who succeeded in their environment this past season and could easily have more excellent seasons in the tank. It's a risk, but it's one the Cubs absolutely have to take.