What Cody Bellinger’s resurgence means for a possible Cubs reunion

David Banks - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 2 hours ago

Everyone knew that once the Cubs traded for Kyle Tucker last offseason, their lineup instantly became one of the better lineups in the National League. Even with Tucker having a down year and dealing with the injuries he faced, the rest of the lineup benefited from his presence, as both Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki had career years, and Pete Crow-Armstrong showed his true potential on the field.

As is the case with everything, all good things must come to an end, and Tucker's time with the Cubs has come to an end one season after being acquired. While a return to Chicago isn't out of the question, given the expected contract for Tucker, there is no way the Cubs will give him the type of money he wants or is expected to receive, which makes his time on the North Side all but over.

Should he find a new home next season, the Cubs offense is not only going to be dealt a massive blow, but they are going to be put in the same position as they have been for several years, with a lack of left-handed power hitters in their lineup.

Sure, Busch has reached the level of a left-handed power hitter, but apart from him, the Cubs don't have many left-handed hitters that not only scare the opposition, but help to balance out this lineup. Owen Caissie is seen as someone like that, but he has fewer than 15 MLB games under his belt, and there is a question as to whether he could handle an everyday role next season.

If the Cubs are once again in the market to add a left-handed power-hitting outfielder, could we interest you in a reunion, but not the one you may be thinking of? For all the talk about the Cubs needing to bring Kyle Schwarber home, the reality is that a move like that will most likely never happen.

Cody Bellinger, on the other hand, is a different story, as he not only opted out of his contract with the Yankees but could also be seen as a better financial solution for this team. Nowhere near the hitter he once was with the Dodgers, Bellinger has turned his career around and has become a more complete hitter than in seasons past.

Take his 2025 season with the Yankees, which was his first season since being traded from the Cubs to the Bronx. For the season, Bellinger hit .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs in 152 games. A lot of that was skewed due to massive home and away splits with Bellinger hitting .302/.365/.544 with 18 home runs in 80 games at home and .241/.301/.414 with 11 home runs in 72 games on the road.

The road split is worth noting, as that could be a concern for most teams, but Bellinger has already proven many times before that he can hit equally as well at Wrigley as he does on the road. Going back to when the Cubs signed him as a free agent in 2023 and then re-signed him in 2024, he combined to play in 260 games, 130 in each season.

While his 2023 numbers were better than 2024 with a .307 batting average, 26 homers, and 97 RBIs, Bellinger still proved his days as a struggling left-hander were over as he followed that up with a .266 average, 18 homers, and 78 RBIs. Again, not the numbers he posted in Los Angeles, but certainly good enough to earn a multi-year contract in the 25 million per year range.

As nice as it would be to have Bellinger return to his MVP form, that doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon, as Bellinger has become more of a 25-30 homer guy. Even then, he would fit in nicely with the Cubs' offense, as Bellinger has sacrificed his power to become a better average hitter, which the Cubs do need more of.

With a higher batting average comes more walks and fewer strikeouts, as Bellinger has turned himself into a complete hitter as opposed to a home run or bust guy. Whether or not the Cubs see him as a fit this offseason or not is an entirely different question, but the fit is there for him to fill a need for this team.

Throw in his past relationship with not only Craig Counsell but also the Cubs front office, and you have to wonder if there is some mutual interest in a reunion. Although shorter than he may have expected, Bellinger has always said he loved his time in Chicago, and you have to wonder if that alone would be enough to strike another deal.