Cubs' Cody Bellinger Rumors Take Dramatic Turn
This week has been a rollercoaster for Chicago Cubs fans, especially those closely following Cody Bellinger's free agency.
After the Cubs missed out on Shohei Ohtani, many fans hoped that the team would pivot and spend some of that money on Bellinger instead. That appeared unlikely, however, when beat writer Sahadev Sharma suggested on Wednesday that Bellinger is out of Chicago's price range.
That may not be the case after all.
On Thursday, MLB insider Jon Heyman identified his two finalists for Bellinger, and the Cubs were one of them.
In an interview with MLB Network, Heyman named Chicago and the Toronto Blue Jays as the two most likely landing spots for the former MVP. He acknowledged that other teams could still be in the mix for the All-Star outfielder, including the Seattle Mariners.
With Bellinger seeking a contract north of $200 million, however, only a few teams can afford that type of commitment. The Cubs are one of them, and it helps that Bellinger enjoyed his time there last year. Both Sharma and Heyman mentioned how he likes the area, the organization and the team's hitting coaches, among other factors.
A reunion is still possible, but Chicago may need to outbid the Blue Jays for it to happen.
Toronto is still looking to add a big left-handed bat to its lineup after missing out on Ohtani and Juan Soto. With the AL East as competitive as ever, the Blue Jays know they need to be aggressive to keep up and will likely push hard for Bellinger.
The Cubs should have the inside track, but they need to strike a deal soon if they want to prevent Bellinger from going to Toronto.
