Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopolous is actively developing a plan for the July 30th Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. With the All-Star Break next week, now is the time for teams to be movers and shakers to improve the team, and according to reports from The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Braves are in the market for 2019’s MVP Cody Bellinger.
“They’ve (Chicago Cubs) also listened to teams such as the Phillies, Braves, and Mariners who have interest in Cody Bellinger. If they stumble out of the All-Star break, don’t be surprised if they decide to retool for 2025," wrote Bowden.
Bellinger hasn't reached the heights of his 2019 MVP season with the Dodgers. He had a 1.035 OPS in 2019 as a 23-year old. He's at .742 this year, and he's only cracked .800 once since his MVP season. His .881 with the Cubs last year was significantly higher than .541 and .654 he had in 2021 and 2022 with the Dodgers.
It should be noted that Atlanta’s talks with Chicago have only been preliminary. However, they are still talking, and the Cubs could end up being sellers, considering their bottom-five record in the National League. So, it begs the question: What would Anthopoulos's club have to give up acquiring him, and is it worth it?
There could be a small bidding war for Cody Bellinger’s services.
Despite having a relatively quiet season, the soon-to-be 29-year-old (on Saturday) still has plenty of career and talent left in the tank with both his bat and glove.
He is being linked to multiple teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies, the NL East division rival and leader. With numerous teams wanting his services, the Braves may have to pay a top prospect or two should the market become more intense. Another possible deterrent is his hefty contract.
However, assessing his value got a little more complicated because, as of Thursday, the former two-time Silver Slugger is hitting the 10-day IL after getting hit by a pitch in Wednesday night’s contest against the Orioles.
For the Braves, Bellinger would still be a solid addition regardless.
How Bellinger can help the Braves.
With manager Brian Snitker’s club seemingly having a revolving door in the outfield due to injuries, the former LA Dodger could solidify at least one of the positions aside from centerfielder Jarred Kelenic. During the year, he has been sporting a .269 average, .331 OBP, .410 SLG, and .742 OPS. He is also one of the league’s best outfielders and is a former Gold Glove winner.
A platoon with the right-handed hitting Adam Duvall makes sense as well.
Placing him in the middle or bottom of the Braves’ lineup could provide the spark the team needs. Considering that other former Dodgers thrive when arriving in Atlanta, Bellinger could be the key to sparking a postseason run of the same nature.
