Cody Bellinger's deal made sense to everybody |
Eight years ago, before the Cubs’ 2016 season, they looked primed for a big season. After all, they were coming off of an NLCS appearance and a 95-win season in 2015. The Cubs added Ben Zobrist, John Lackey, and Jason Heyward during the offseason. However, as they arrived at Spring Training, it still felt like they were missing a piece. Then, on February 25th, 2016, the Cubs brought back Dexter Fowler, a huge part of their success in 2015. We all know how that story ended, as Fowler was a massive contributor to the Cubs’ first World Series in 108 years.
Fast forward to 2024, the Cubs had begun Spring Training with a roster that felt like it needed an extra boost toward contention. —shockingly, in a late-night / early-morning deal that brings Cody Bellinger back to Chicago. The offseason for Bellinger consisted of rumors, expectations, and waiting. Many reports said that Scott Boras — Bellinger’s agent — was hoping for a contract north of 200 million and for at least eight years. While there were many teams rumored to be interested aside from the Cubs (San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, etc.), the parameters of the contract that Boras and Co. were hoping to receive turned a lot of teams in other directions. Bellinger was coming from a strong campaign that resulted in MVP votes and NL comeback player of the year. He hit .308 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs in the biggest comeback of his career. However, the belief is that many teams were still weary of paying Bellinger top dollar because of his injury history and his nearly two-year-long slump that lasted through the end of his tenure in Los Angeles. After the Yankees acquired Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo, that essentially took them out of the market., the Mariners seemed reluctant to go anywhere near the top of this year’s market. The Giants signed Jorge Soler and Jung Hoo Lee, and the Blue Jays re-signed Kevin Kiermaier and added Justin Turner for DH. This essentially became the Cubs' market to lose. This dragged on until nearly March because Jed Hoyer remained patient and prudent. Hoyer knew the fit, but he was reluctant to spend 200 million or give Bellinger a contract with a lengthy term due to some of the concerns regarding his health and aging process. Boras continued his determined approach to get Bellinger a massive contract. Still, when the market turned into the Cubs against themselves, the options became lower the price or have Bellinger miss out on the season or miss valuable time in Spring Training. The deal that both sides reached was perfect. Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million deal with opt-outs after each of the first two seasons. He is set to make $30 million in 2024 and 2025, with 2026 dropping to $20. It gives Bellinger a high AAV for the next two seasons— while also giving him a chance to try free agency again if he feels he can earn more than $30 million, while also allowing him to know that if he does struggle in 2024 or 2025, he has $30 million waiting for him. For the Cubs, they give the current roster a big boost — taking some pressure off of some of the young players who are expected to make a big difference in 2024. They find their three/four-hitter, who provides some much-needed slug and plays excellent defense at two positions of need. They also avoid the long-term commitment to an aging player with an injury history. However, the Cubs also added a veteran coming off a great season and threw him into the mix of a core in place for the next three seasons. It truly was a contract that made sense for everyone.
