Cody Bellinger May Not Have Many Options Left, In Part Because Of Rumored $200M Price Tag
Cody Bellinger had an outstanding 2023 season with the Chicago Cubs, in a return to his previous form with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Yet just a few days from January 2024, Bellinger has yet to find a new team. And according to a new report, his options may be dwindling even further.
The Toronto Blue Jays have repeatedly been mentioned as a possible destination for Bellinger since the start of free agency. Especially once the Shohei Ohtani plane rumors turned out to be false and he spurned them to join the Dodgers. But the Blue Jays recently agreed to a contract with another free agent outfielder, Kevin Kiermaier, who returns to Toronto after a successful 2023.
Bob Nightengale reported that while the signing doesn't entirely remove the Blue Jays from the Bellinger discussion, it certainly doesn't make an agreement more likely. Which means, effectively, the market for the 28-year-old outfielder may just be ... the Cubs again.
Sep 17, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (24) reacts at first base in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
Cody Bellinger Part Of The Modern Free Agent Dilemma
Few available players have an MVP history, track record of above average defense, and youth that Bellinger brings to the table.
But there's also valid concerns around what his future holds, specifically around batted ball data that showed he may have benefitted from some good luck in 2023. So despite a 4.1 WAR season, interest in Bellinger is far below what his past profile would have previously generated.
Instead of being viewed at the level of someone like Trea Turner or even Xander Bogaerts, he's seen as less desirable. Yet with Scott Boras as his agent and track record, rumors have suggested that he's looking for "at least" $200 million in a new contract.
That already limits the available market to just a few teams, and with the Yankees getting Juan Soto, Boston unwilling to spend outside of whiffs on Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Ohtani, and the Dodgers uninterested, there's just a few teams with the money and need. And the Giants just signed Jung Hoo Lee to a $113 million contract.
So with the start of spring training less than two months away, one of the best available free agents might not have many choices left. While a Cubs reunion seemed unlikely at the end of the 2023 season, it's becoming increasingly possible the longer his free agency drags out.