Cubs emerge as potential Cody Bellinger suitor in MLB free agency

After pulling off the blockbuster trade to acquire superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker last offseason, the Chicago Cubs decided to part ways with Cody Bellinger via a trade with the New York Yankees.

Fans were not excited to lose Bellinger. Keeping him around along with Tucker would have given the Cubs a much more dangerous lineup. Also, the fact that Tucker was playing on a one-year contract was concerning for Chicago.

Now, it appears that Tucker will leave the Cubs after one season with the franchise. Could that give Jed Hoyer enough of a push to consider reuniting with Bellinger?

That is an idea that has now been suggested.

When looking at potential right field options for Chicago following the departure of Tucker, MLB.com analyst Jason Foster pinpointed Bellinger as a possible fit.

“A reunion with Bellinger would make a lot of sense. He signed a one-year free-agent deal with the Cubs before the 2023 season and made a good first impression, hitting .307 with 26 homers, 97 RBIs and an .881 OPS in 130 games. That led to a three-year, $80 million extension ahead of 2024,” Foster wrote.

“That season, however, wasn’t nearly as strong as 2023. He played the same number of games, but saw his numbers drop across the board. He hit .266 with 18 homers, 78 RBIs and a .751 OPS. But after a trade to the Yankees ahead of the 2025 season, Bellinger rebounded with 29 homers, 98 RBIs and an .814 OPS. He was also worth seven Outs Above Average on defense, his highest mark since 2020. Perhaps most notably, he played in 152 games — his most since 2019. He’s now a free agent after exercising an opt-out on the final year of his contract.”

Bellinger coming back to the Cubs would make a lot of fans happy. During his two-year tenure in Chicago, he quickly became a fan favorite.

Making the move for Bellinger would also come cheaper than trying to re-sign Tucker. For a franchise that has been unwilling to spend the big bucks on top-tier free agents, pivoting from Tucker to Bellinger would make an awful lot of sense.

Granted, this is just an idea and there has been no reporting about the Cubs trying to sign Bellinger. However, it would not be shocking to see the team show interest.

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