MLB Rumors: Where things stand with Cody Bellinger, Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell

MLB Rumors: Latest free agency update on Cody Bellinger

Jeff Passan only links two teams to Cody Bellinger — the Giants and Angels. That doesn't necessarily comprise the entirety of the picture, of course. We know the Chicago Cubs are interested in a reunion and the Toronto Blue Jays remain a (perhaps distant) possibility.

That said, the Giants have tried and failed to add a powerful bat in free agency several offseasons in a row. Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa, and Shohei Ohtani all fell through. The Giants weren't able to impress Yamamoto enough to keep him away from L.A. either. It's clear San Francisco can and will spend aggressively when the opportunity arises. If the Cubs shy away from Bellinger's asking price, the Giants have a prime opportunity to plant Bellinger in the middle of their lineup.

The Angels feel like an outside possibility, but Passan notes Los Angeles' poor farm system and the limited opportunity for internal growth. That being the case, it could behoove the Angels' front office to make a real push for Bellinger. He won't quite make up for the Ohtani-sized hole in the lineup, but he pushed Chicago to the postseason precipice in 2023 and he's a former MVP. When right, Bellinger can drastically improve a team's standing.

We cannot discount the possibility of a mystery team invading the Bellinger sweepstakes either. Boras has a reputation for unexpected maneuvers. Bellinger would probably be comfortable returning to Chicago and playing for one of the MLB's best managers, but the right team can certainly pry the two-time All-Star away.