Very early Sunday morning, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Chicago Cubs have reached an agreement with free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger. Bellinger is set to return to Chicago on a three-year deal worth a total of $80 million. The important aspect of the deal is there are opt outs after the first and second seasons of the contract, according to Passan.
The 28-year-old Bellinger entered free agency as one of the top position players available. The Scott Boras client slashed .307/.356/.525, good for an .881 OPS, in 2023. He finished 10th in the MVP voting and took home a Silver Slugger award. This all coming after back-to-back troublesome seasons and a so-so 2020 after his MVP 2019 year.
Bellinger was one of four higher profile free agents left on the market despite the start of spring training. He was joined by Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Matt Chapman. Now, the left-handed hitting Bellinger comes out of the fray with a contract that allows him to chase more money if his play allows it after the first and seconds seasons of the three-year deal.
