Andrew Buller-Russ
There are several big names being waved around ahead of the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline, and rumors aren’t slowing down in the next 48 hours. One of the stars frequently mentioned in trade talks includes Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger who’s in the midst of a career revival in his first season in town.
Bellinger signed a one-year, $17 million contract with the Cubs over the offseason, but Chicago is currently in third place of the NL East. Yet, they’ve also won their past eight games and are making a strong push for a Wild Card spot at the very least.
Naturally, everyone wants to know if the Cubs, who were previously looked at as sellers, will become active before the deadline passes. Teams are certainly calling about multiple players, including Marcus Stroman and Bellinger.
But according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, the Cubs are no longer interested in trading Bellinger. With Bellinger set to become a free agent at the end of the season, the Cubs would rather keep him on hand, hoping the two-time All-Star can help them maintain their recent momentum.
- Cody Bellinger’s stats this season: .315/.368/.540/.908/ OPS+ 142, 15 HR, 46 RBI, 12 SB
Teams had been calling about Bellinger and other Cubs, but it looks like they’ll have to look elsewhere to add a left-handed slugger to their lineup. Meanwhile, we’ll see if the Cubs stand pat or find another move to their liking. But time’s ticking.
Related: Six MLB trade deadline ideas that could alter playoff picture
