There have been a lot of rumors surrounding the Chicago Cubs potentially trading star outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger.
After the former NL MVP opted into his contract for the 2025 MLB season, the rumors instantly began circulating. It seems that the Cubs are highly interested in trading Bellinger away if the right deal presents itself.
Bellinger has been arguably the best bat in the lineup over the past two years for Chicago. Moving on from him would cut some salary, but it would also have a negative impact on their lineup.
With the lineup already struggling to produce runs, trading Bellinger could end up being a massive mistake.
In an interview with The Athletic, a current teammate, starting pitcher Jameson Taillon, spoke out about the rumors surrounding Bellinger. He offered a subtle warning to the team about trading him.
“It’s crazy to talk about a former MVP like this, but he’s the ultimate insurance policy because he can play all over,” he said. “In the offseason, it might sound like a good idea or whatever, salary-wise, but you have a guy that can play all over the field. You just hope you don’t have an unfortunate situation in-season where you’re like, ‘Man, we wish we had Cody.’ We’ll see what happens.”
Taillon makes a very good point. If the Cubs were to move Bellinger, there would be no turning back. They would need to replace him with a player that is more productive, which would not be an easy task considering Chicago's hesitance to spend money.
While he may have had a down year in 2024, Bellinger is primed for a major bounce-back. He put up a big year in 2023 during his first year with the Cubs.
Speaking of his 2024 season, Bellinger ended up playing in 130 games. He hit 18 home runs to go along with 78 RBI and slashed .266/.325/.426. They weren't the numbers he wanted, but they weren't bad either.
Back in 2023, he hit 26 home runs, drove in 97 RBI, and slashed .307/.356/.525 in 130 games.
Chicago needs to be very careful here. As Taillon suggested, trading him might sound nice from a salary perspective, but it could cost the Cubs a chance to compete for the playoffs as well.
Hopefully, the front office makes the right choice. If they do trade Bellinger, they better have a pivot option to bring in an upgrade to replace him.
