Cody Bellinger’s trade value awaits the Juan Soto Domino |
The MLB offseason has gotten off to a bit of a slow start. The Angels have made a flurry of roster moves, and a couple of other teams have been in on the action, but it seems obvious that the league is waiting for one domino to fall to kick off a busy offseason: Juan Soto.
It makes sense. A 26-year-old generational talent who is hitting free agency in his prime is clearly the big ticket of the Winter. Not to mention, Soto is coming off a career year where he posted a 7.9 WAR and 41 home runs during his first season in New York. Plus, Soto is represented by agent Scott Boras, who will ensure that his services are coveted and well compensated. Many projects the native of the Dominican Republic could be due for a payday nearing $600 million. What does that mean? It means that with five or six of the needle-moving teams in the industry waiting for the Juan Soto shoe to drop — it could stall some of the other high-profile moves simply because the price and the demand of some of those other talents could change exponentially once Soto makes his decision. For example, if the Red Sox miss out on Soto, they can expect to remain highly involved with some of the other big names on the market. If the New York Mets can sign Soto, that increases the likelihood that Pete Alonso could end up wearing different colors next April. You get the point. Where do the Cubs fit in? Unfortunately, the Cubs are not considered major players in the Soto sweepstakes. No, this isn’t a piece about how the Cubs are missing an opportunity to flex their organizational muscles and sign one of the best players in MLB. Yes, we think they should. Instead, this is about what Juan Soto going elsewhere could mean for the Cubs. The Cubs have a busy offseason ahead. After Craig Counsel and numerous players harbored on the fact the Milwaukee Brewers ran away with a division the Cubs *should* win, many believe the Cubs’ brass would answer the call and try to deliver that perennial 90-win team Counsel pleaded for. Not to mention, with Jed Hoyer’s job potentially at stake, this offseason could prove vital to his stay in Chicago. Early reports indicate the Cubs are very active in trade discussions. Whether that be to deal Cody Bellinger to create roster flexibility, trading Nico Hoerner to acquire a starting pitching upgrade, or a package of prospects from a deep pool of talent to make a big splash — it seems clear the Cubs will be players in the trade market. Soto’s signing could impact things drastically. Currently, the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays are seen as the favorites to land the slugger. It is unknown whether a mystery team like the San Diego Padres or San Francisco Giants exists in the bidding. But the second Soto signs, those other buyers will look to fill the Soto-sized void in their offseason plans. All that does is raise the price tag for the next batch of hitters: Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander, Willy Adames, and Pete Alonso. Many reporters have deduced that the Cubs have been making Cody Bellinger available via trade — and he would certainly slot into that tier of best available once Soto signs. While Bellinger is currently known to have a market that consists of teams like the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers, a team like the New York Yankees could certainly be interested in a player of Bellinger’s caliber should they miss out on resigning Soto. Once Soto signs, the interest in acquiring Bellinger should expand — and the urgency to acquire him should also increase. A team desperate for a left-handed power bat that missed out on Soto could enter a bidding war for Bellinger’s services. Whether that means acquiring a higher-ranked prospect, a better MLB player, or both remains to be seen — but the best thing that could happen to a Cubs team looking to trade Bellinger is a Juan Soto signing.
