The Philadelphia Phillies entered 2024 with championship expectations. However, their campaign ended prematurely after getting eliminated by the New York Mets in the NLDS. As the club prepares to shape its 2025 roster, could they pursue outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger?
On October 24, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden shared thoughts on potential landing spots and contract predictions for 45 MLB players who could become free agents this winter. He named the Phillies among the “best team fits” for the 2019 National League MVP Award winner. They were joined by eight other clubs, though. This includes the Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals.
Bellinger spent his 2024 season with the Cubs. He hit .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs, 23 doubles, 78 RBI and 72 runs scored. Bowden is predicting the left-handed slugger will sign a four-year, $112 million deal in free agency.
Cody Bellinger Would Fit the Phillies’ Needs Perfectly
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made it clear during his end-of-season press conference that the organization will be open-minded to improve the roster.
“I do think it’s a club capable of winning a world championship,” he said, via MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “You’re also open-minded to making adjustments. I think that’s a necessity. You want to get better. You’re never happy unless you win the whole thing. We didn’t win the whole thing. I think we have a real good core of players, but I think we’ll be open-minded to make our club better. That’s really our goal.”
One area where the Phillies could improve is the outfield. Overall, this group produced a 97 wRC+ on offense. That ranked 18th in baseball, according to FanGraphs. Center field was the biggest problem. Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, Cal Stevenson and Cristian Pache collectively produced an 80 wRC+, tied for MLB’s sixth-worst mark.
Bowden said Bellinger’s offense has also been inconsistent in recent years. However, he noted that his ability to play solid defense at all three outfield spots and first base helps his value on the open market.
Will Cody Bellinger Opt out of His Current Contract?
Before Bellinger can start getting courted by interested teams, he’ll first have to opt out of his current deal. After winning a Silver Slugger Award in 2023 with Chicago, the Scott Boras client entered free agency looking for a big payday.
They were looking for “a package well over $200 million,” according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. That never came to fruition, and the outfielder eventually signed a three-year, $80 million deal to remain with the Cubs. His deal includes an opportunity to opt out each of the next two years, per Spotrac.
What’s going through Bellinger’s mind regarding this decision? He was unsure about re-entering free agency as recently as September 27. “I honestly haven’t (made a decision),” Bellinger told the Chicago Tribune. “You think about it, but at the end of the day, I haven’t really even sat down with my wife and talked about it. And during the season, you just focus on playing, at least for me. I wake up and I’m going to go out and play, and that’s what I focus on. … I honestly have no idea ….
“For me, if I feel like I have a decision, I’ll probably wait on it, see if I still feel it, just really feel it out and trust my gut, trust people around me. It’s a privilege, so I’m going to do it with joy and see what happens.”
A lot has probably transpired since he made those comments. However, it’s worth noting that Bellinger wasn’t entering the offseason with his mind already made up like third baseman Matt Chapman was before he signed an extension with the Giants.
