Chicago Cubs-Cody Bellinger Deal is Perfect for Both Sides
On Sunday, the Chicago Cubs finally made the move their fans have been waiting all offseason for -- they re-signed Cody Bellinger.
The move itself wasn't a shock, as the Cubs had been favorites to sign Bellinger for months. The terms of the deal were surprising, however, as he received a much smaller contract than expected.
The former NL MVP and his agent, Scott Boras, were initially seeking a contract worth at least $200 million earlier in the offseason. However, they ended up taking less than half that, settling for three years and $80 million.
On the plus side for Bellinger, he can opt out of his contract after the first or second year of the deal, which he probably will. In all likelihood, this will be a one-year, $30 million contract for him, assuming he doesn't suffer a major injury or slump in 2024.
The contract appears to be a win-win for both parties.
Bellinger gets to return to a team that he enjoyed playing for in 2023 and will make a nice chunk of change in 2024. If he has another good year and proves his strong 2023 was legit, he can opt out again and likely get closer to $200 million next offseason, similar to what Carlos Correa recently did with the Minnesota Twins.
Meanwhile, Chicago gets one of its best players back and now looks like a legitimate contender in the NL Central. It also gets to maintain some financial flexibility by avoiding an expensive, long-term commitment to Bellinger, which may have been risky given his inconsistent track record. The Cubs' patience paid off, as Bellinger's asking price dropped considerably.
That may not happen next winter if Bellinger decides to test the market again, but they can cross that bridge when they get to it.
