Cody Bellinger is one of the top free agents available on the market this winter, but at least one MLB insider thinks there are just a handful of teams who realistically have a shot of signing him.
Bellinger signed a one-year contract with the Cubs and had an outstanding 2023 season, with 26 home runs and 97 RBI’s for the North Siders.
He opted out of a second year with the team, but according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, the Cubs are expected to be in the hunt to bring him back.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
During an appearance on the network Thursday, Heyman said he believes Bellinger’s future team will come down to three options: the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants….and the Cubs.
“I think ultimately he’s going to end up with one of those three teams, most likely the Cubs or Yankees,” he said.
Bellinger experienced a career renaissance in Chicago this season after several subpar years with the Dodgers. He improved his batting average by nearly 100 points, registered his most home runs since his MVP season in 2019, and posted a 4.4 Wins Above Replacement, the second-best mark of his entire career.
Bellinger is consistently ranked as the best non-Shohei Ohtani free agent on the market this year, and with the Cubs looking to potentially solidify their center field and first base spots this offseason, he would once again be a logical fit to return to the North Side.
