The Chicago Cubs are going to face a lot of tough decisions this offseason, but arguably the biggest will be whether or not to re-sign Cody Bellinger after his stellar campaign.
Bellinger, who signed a one-year deal with the Cubs prior to the 2023 season, hit 26 home runs and drove in 97 RBI’s, recapturing some of the incredible play he had showed during the early stages of his big-league career.
Now, with an opt-out all-but-certain, Bellinger is weighing his options in free agency, and the Cubs’ brass is hoping to make a deal work with the slugging outfielder.
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“We sat down with him on Sunday. We’ve had a really good dialogue,” Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer said. “He loves Wrigley Field, and the fans, and I think his experience was fantastic. We’d love to bring him back.”
With Shohei Ohtani potentially limited to just hitting during the 2024 season, Bellinger could very well be the biggest prize on the free agent market.
Hoyer recognizes the complicated process to come on negotiating with Bellinger, but said the Cubs intend to explore their options.
“We’ll have a lot of conversations with him,” he said. “It’s going to be a process. It’s going to play out for a while. I think the world of Cody, and we’re certainly going to be in communication.”
Hoyer said that Bellinger’s experiences in Chicago will only benefit the Cubs, but also said that the team will have to be realistic, and explore other options in case a continued union doesn’t materialize.
“The contributions he made will have to be replaced,” he said. “We’d love to bring him back, but in a world where that’s uncertain, we would have to figure out how to replace that offense.”
While the Cubs do have several options in their minor league system, including Pete Crow-Armstrong, Alex Canario and Kevin Alcantara, they could also be active in the trade market as well. Reports are swirling that the San Diego Padres could look to shed payroll this offseason, which could mean a player like Juan Soto may be available in a swap.
The free agent market will likely be limited, with players like Harrison Bader, Joc Pederson and Teoscar Hernandez the top-available outfielders.
Free agency officially begins five days after the conclusion of the World Series.