Cubs, Bellinger Drama Ends With New Contract Agreement
The Chicago Cubs finally made the move many were hoping for to bolster their offense and bring back last year' starting center fielder.
Sunday morning Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs were in agreement on a three-year, $80 million contract.
The Cubs have not formally announced the deal.
Bellinger's contract has opt-outs after each of the first two years of the deal. Bellinger will make $30 million in 2024 and 2025 if he doesn't opt out after the first season. The deal pays him $20 million in 2026 if he doesn't opt out after the second year.
There was little debate that the Cubs needed Bellinger. He revived his career in Chicago last season and the belief is that his struggles with the Los Angeles Dodgers in his final two seasons there were tied to injuries.
Bellinger slashed .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs in 130 games for the Cubs last season. He was also named the National League Comeback Player of the Year.
This is the big move the Cubs had hoped to make this season. They struck out on trying to lure Shohei Ohtani to Chicago and were not serious players for Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The Cubs' lineup will directly benefit from having Bellinger in the heart of it. He's versatile enough to play center field and first base. It does make top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong's job to win the center field job nearly impossible, but he can still win a spot as one of the outfielders.
Other free agent are still on the market, including Matt Chapman, who is also represented by Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras. The Cubs also have a need at third base, which Chapman's position.
After making Craig Counsell the highest-paid manager in baseball, the Cubs were expected to be aggressive. It just took nearly the entire offseason to make it a reality.
