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12 hours ago
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The Chicago Cubs didn't quite have the 2024 season that they hoped to have.
Chicago brought in manager Craig Counsell on a historic contract with the hope that he would take the organization to another level. The Cubs ended up finishing the season with an 83-79 record and tied for second place in the National League Central with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Milwaukee Brewers held the top spot, and the Cubs need to be active this winter to find a way to catch them. One player who has been talked about a lot is star slugger Cody Bellinger. He had the opportunity to opt out of his deal with Chicago but decided to opt in instead at the price tag of $27.5 million for 2025.
Bellinger is one of the team's best hitters, but for some reason, now there has been trade speculation involving him. It doesn't make much sense for the Cubs to trade him if they want to contend in 2025.
While this is the case, FanSided's Mark Powell suggested the New York Yankees as a trade partner.
"Cody Bellinger opted into the remainder of his Cubs contract rather than testing the free agent market," Powell said. "This is surprising for a Scott Boras client, but Bellinger received feedback on his overall market value right now, and it's not as high as the $52 million he'll receive over the next two years in Chicago. Bellinger is one of the more prominent and capable hitters in the Cubs lineup, even in a down year. Belli had just a .751 OPS this season, which is down from his career averages...
"Per the New York Post, Bellinger would make sense as a trade fit for a team like the Yankees. New York needs help in the outfield, and at first base, two positions Bellinger can still play at a league-average level. There's no guarantee that the Cubs would trade Bellinger for anything less than MLB-ready talent. However, Craig Counsell is used to working with financial limitations, and surely he would understand that Bellinger is not playing up to the standard of his contract."
If the Cubs want to contend in 2025, they shouldn't consider a deal of this nature. New York may come calling if Juan Soto leaves, but the Cubs shouldn't pick up.
More MLB: Cubs $27.5M superstar surprisingly on trade block, per insider
Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sportswriting across baseball, football and basketball. He has provided coverage for the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Philadelphia Eagles and Boston Celtics throughout his career.
Outside of journalism, Patrick also has received a Masters of Business Administration Degree from Brandeis University and studied communication and business at Merrimack College where he earned his Bachelor's Degree.
English (US)