Cody Bellinger turned his career around with the Chicago Cubs in 2023, going from being non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers to becoming one of the best players available in MLB free agency this winter. Coming off a rebound season, Bellinger is reportedly setting his contract demands extremely high.
Bellinger, age 28, is appealing for a variety of reasons. A two-time All-Star and former Gold Glove Award winner, he offers the versatility to play the corner outfield or first base. The two-time Silver Slugger Award recipient is also a left-handed hitter, making him even more valuable to clubs.
- Cody Bellinger stats 2023: .307/.356/.525, .881 OPS, 26 home runs, 97 RBI, 133 OPS+
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However, Bellinger’s free-agent market has been slow to develop since MLB free agency opened. However, activity is expected to ramp up after the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani. With clubs now turning their focus to Bellinger and other top free agents, there’s now a reported asking price for the All-Star hitter.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Bellinger is seeking a multi-year deal worth at least $200 million. With agent Scott Boras handling the negotiations, Bellinger is attempting to take advantage of his bounce-back campaign in 2023, by turning it into one of the largest contracts in baseball.
There are likely plenty of MLB teams uncomfortable with paying Bellinger at that price. While he played at an All-Star level this past season, Bellinger also struck out in 27.1 percent of his plate appearances with a .193/.256/.355 slash line across 900 plate appearances from 2021-’22.
- Cody Bellinger career stats: .258/.335/.493, .829 OPS, 178 home runs, 120 OPS+
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However, there’s at least one team that seems very ready to make Bellinger one of the highest-paid outfielders in the sport. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Toronto Blue Jays have emerged as the favorites to land Bellinger.
As for the Cubs, Nightengale notes that the team remains a candidate to re-sign Bellinger. After missing out on Ohtani, both the Blue Jays and Cubs have now turned their attention to Bellinger. Whoever falls short will likely shift their focus to Matt Chapman or Teoscar Hernandez.
