Bellinger to Cubs for $80M
Big Money to Return
Bellinger to Cubs for $80M. Reports are coming in that Bellinger, the All-Star outfielder, has agreed to The Cubs terms on a three-year, $80 million contract. He was ranked as the No. 5 free agent on many top lists.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Bellinger will have opt-outs after the first and second years of his contract. He will reportedly make $30 million in 2024, $30 million in 2025 if he remains with the Cubs, and $20 million in 2026 if he stays with the Cubs for the final year of his contract.
Bellinger, who is 28 years old, is returning to the Cubs after a successful season in 2023, during which he hit .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs. He finished 10th in National League MVP voting and won a Silver Slugger Award. It was the comeback season he needed to reestablish himself as an offensive threat and show he could be a positive addition to any MLB lineup.
Diminishing returns
Bellinger couldn’t make a comeback without having something to come back from, and his last few seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers were just that. In six years with L.A. (he was picked by the Dodgers in 2013), Bellinger transformed from being the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP to having the lowest on-base percentage in the league and an average barely above the Mendoza line in 2022.
Some of his struggles were due to injuries. Bellinger had a shoulder problem that required surgery in late 2020 and continued to give him trouble throughout the 2021 season. He also suffered a hairline crack in his fibula after a collision in April 2021 that caused him problems even after he returned from rehab, and later in the season, he fractured a rib in another collision. His batting line of .165/.240/.302 was his worst ever, but a strong playoff performance gave hope for 2022.
Despite that, Bellinger’s 2022 season was no better. He remained injury-free and played 144 games, but his batting form was poor throughout the year. He finished the season with a disappointing .210/.265/.389 and became a free agent for the first time after the Dodgers opted not to offer him a contract.
Did my best to photoshop what Cody Bellinger will look like in a Cubs uniform. pic.twitter.com/dEjdZGcNed
— Dan (Taylor’s Version) (@Dan_Welter) February 25, 2024
Things are looking up
In December 2022, Bellinger joined the Cubs and started playing exceptionally well in 2023. He had a batting average of .271 until May 15. That’s when he was sidelined due to a knee injury. Bellinger returned in mid-June and started improving his performance, and his average remained above .300 after July 14.
The Cubs are eager to see that same level of performance from Bellinger again, which they desperately need after acquiring manager Craig Counsell from the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason. Fortunately, Bellinger is already familiar with the Cubs, so he can quickly get back into the swing of things during Spring Training.
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