MLB Rumors: Ranking Cody Bellinger's 3 free agent options from worst to best

Bats are scarce this year on the free agent market. Aside from Shohei Ohtani and Cody Bellinger, there aren't exactly a lot of options to choose from, which makes things difficult for teams looking for offensive help.

Bellinger enjoyed a solid bounce-back campaign with the Chicago Cubs and could potentially find his way back to the North Side of Chicago. Jon Heyman of MLB Network says he would be "shocked" if Bellinger doesn't sign with the Cubs, New York Yankees, or San Francisco Giants.

In this piece, we will rank the free agent slugger's offseason options from worst to best.

Worst fit for Cody Bellinger: Chicago Cubs

Bellinger's resurgence helped the Cubs climb back into postseason contention after back-to-back sub .500 seasons. But the Cubs may ultimately end up moving on from him.

Recently, Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported that he thinks it's more likely the Cubs add players via trade than in free agency. This does not make the Cubs a bad option for Bellinger necessarily, but it could complicate things if he wants to return to the North Siders.

The Cubs do have some talented young hitters who are emerging as well such as Matt Mervis and Pete-Crow Armstrong. The Cubs may decide that it's time to clear the way for those two sluggers to make their impact and lead the team into the future.

The Cubs have also been linked to New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. If the Cubs swing a deal for the Mets slugger, then the door for a reunion with the former National League MVP and Rookie of the Year will likely be shut.

Again, the Cubs are not the worst fit for him because they're a bad fit, but rather that their motives and offseason strategy may not allow for a Bellinger return in the end.