MLB Rumors: Cubs fade on Bellinger, Dylan Cease trade, Corbin Burnes latest

MLB Rumors: Cubs appear unwilling to meet Cody Bellinger's asking price

The Toronto Blue Jays have been widely reported as the "favorites" to land Cody Bellinger. It's no secret the Blue Jays want to make a big splash. Toronto was front of line to sign Shohei Ohtani, but a last-second push from the Los Angeles Dodgers kept the two-way superstar on the west coast for the price of $700 million.

Now, Toronto has money to burn. There isn't another $700 million free agent out there, but several noteworthy names populate the market, from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, to J.D. Martinez, to Bellinger. The Blue Jays are involved with all three, to varying degrees. It's Bellinger, however, who appears destined to fly north.

The Chicago Cubs want to keep Bellinger, and there's every indication that Bellinger wants to stay in Chicago. Unfortunately, it's not solely about fit and happiness. The Cubs have to meet Bellinger's reported asking price of $200 million, on which agent Scott Boras is standing firm, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

"Boras is sticking to the money that was mentioned at the start of the free agency market," one exec told ESPN. "He will take it well into the winter. Not budging."

Chicago promised fans a splashy offseason after signing Craig Counsell to the biggest managerial contract in MLB history, but it has been crickets ever since. Jeimer Candelario left for the Cincinnati Reds and Marcus Stroman appears to be next in line for a departure. Meanwhile, Chicago whiffed on Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and probably Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

If the Cubs can't even bring Bellinger back, it will be hard to be optimistic about their 2024 outlook — even with Counsell at the reins.

According to Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, the Cubs could wait and see if Bellinger "ends up falling to the Cubs on a more palatable deal."

That sounds like a poor strategy provided the Blue Jays' desire to improve their competitive status. There are also several other teams who could pivot to major contract offers for Bellinger if Yamamoto falls through. The San Francisco Giants were connected to Bellinger earlier in the offseason, while the Boston Red Sox — with former Cubs assistant GM Craig Breslow now heading the front office — could find themselves scrambling for an impact addition.

Chicago needs to step up to the plate and pay Bellinger. It's that simple. The alternative is losing their best player from the 2023 season.