Cody Bellinger Returns to the Cubs

For as robust as his 2023 marketing campaign had been, and for as nicely positioned as he was on this winter’s market, Cody Bellinger‘s free company was at all times hampered by questions of sustainability. His debut season with the Cubs adopted two unsettlingly unhealthy years with the Dodgers, and the metrics underlying final season’s resurgence had been comparatively modest relative to his manufacturing, elevating the likelihood if not the chance of regression. In mild of these points, at the same time as he positioned third on our Top 50 Free Agents list heading into the offseason and reportedly sought a contract as excessive as $250 million, it appeared fairly possible he’d come away with significantly much less. He did, agreeing to return to the Cubs on a three-year, $80 million deal, one which incorporates opt-outs after the primary two seasons, and one which was nonetheless pending a bodily as of this writing.

Successfully, this can be a pillow contract, negotiated by the agent who created the time period, Scott Boras. The 28-year-old Bellinger will get the chance to point out that his 2023 efficiency was no fluke, with two possibilities earlier than his age-30 season to safe a a lot greater payday. He’s assured $30 million in 2024, with salaries of $30 million in ’25 and $20 million in ’26 if he hasn’t exercised his opt-outs, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Bellinger got here to the Cubs after an eventful 10-year run within the Dodgers’ group, one which started when the son of former utilityman Clay Bellinger was drafted within the fourth spherical out of an Arizona highschool in 2013. He hit 39 dwelling runs whereas profitable NL Rookie of the 12 months honors in 2017, and smacked 47 homers two years later whereas taking dwelling the NL MVP award. His well timed hitting and spectacular fielding throughout the 2020 postseason helped the Dodgers to their first championship since 1988, however a kind of well timed hits precipitated his fall. Celebrating what proved to be the decisive dwelling run in Recreation 7 of the 2020 NLCS towards the Braves, the exuberant Bellinger dislocated his proper (non-throwing) shoulder after bashing forearms with teammate Enrique Hernández. He underwent arthroscopic labrum surgical procedure after the World Collection, began slowly in spring coaching, after which within the fourth recreation of the season suffered a hairline fracture in his left fibula, knocking him out for eight weeks. Unable to seek out his rhythm as he recovered from each shoulder and leg points, he hit a ugly .165/.240/.302 (47 wRC+) with -1.0 WAR in 350 plate appearances, although he confirmed indicators of life throughout the playoffs when he adopted a shortened swing with decrease hand placement; he hit .353/.436/.471 (146 wRC+) throughout 39 plate appearances in 12 postseason video games. Whereas he obtained off to a stable begin in 2022, he couldn’t preserve it regardless of endlessly tinkering together with his swing. Distinctive protection in heart subject saved him within the lineup, however he hit simply .210/.265/.389 (83 wRC+) with 1.8 WAR, and was nontendered following the season.

Lower than three weeks later, Bellinger agreed to a one-year deal with the Cubs, one which paid him $12.5 million for 2023 with a $1 million bonus for profitable NL Comeback Participant of the 12 months honors (which he did) and a $5 million buyout on a $25 million mutual choice for ’24. He declined his finish of the choice in addition to the $20.325 million qualifying provide he acquired, and entered the market as the highest free agent place participant, behind solely pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto on our listing.

For Bellinger, final yr’s change of surroundings proved to be simply what the physician ordered. Reuniting with Cubs hitting coach Dustin Kelly and assistant Johnny Washington, each of whom he had labored with within the Dodgers’ system, Bellinger centered on adjusting his mechanics, notably on the subject of his hand placement and again hip, permitting him to make use of his decrease physique higher. He additional tailored his method by pulling the ball with much less frequency than at any time since his rookie season, and shortening his swing with two strikes to give attention to contact. The consequence was his greatest season since 2019, as he hit .307/.356/.525 (134 wRC+) with 26 homers and 20 steals in 130 video games — he missed practically 4 weeks with a left knee contusion — whereas chopping his strikeout price from 27.3% to fifteen.6%. Coupled with stable protection in heart subject, his 4.1 WAR tied for Twentieth within the NL and was the second-best exhibiting of his profession.

Bellinger’s intent is price noting when digging into his underlying metrics, as he sacrificed some energy in alternate for contact en path to the bottom exit velocity, barrel price, and hard-hit price of his profession:

Bellinger’s barrel price positioned in simply the twenty seventh percentile, his exit velo within the twenty second percentile, and his hard-hit price within the tenth percentile. He outdid his anticipated slugging share by 91 factors, and his anticipated wOBA by 43 factors; each gaps ranked third in the majors amongst batting title qualifiers (502 PA). However, his .279 AVG and .312 wOBA with two strikes ranked second and seventh within the majors, thanks largely to his consistency in amassing hits regardless of delicate contact, a subject that MLB.com’s Mike Petriello and our personal Esteban Rivera both investigated.

All of that created one thing of a puzzle for Bellinger’s suitors — most prominently the Blue Jays (considered the favorites to signal him as of mid-December) and Giants, with the Mariners and Yankees additionally linked to him through rumors. Bellinger’s deal at all times appeared unlikely to method the recent air of the $200 million-plus Borasphere, however in our Prime 50 train, Ben Clemens projected him to get a six-year, $150 million contract, and our crowdsource anticipated a six-year, $144 million one. Different retailers went even increased.

Because the Blue Jays dragged their feet this winter, the Giants turned to Jung Hoo Lee, and the Cubs refused to behave like a large-market team, Bellinger’s anticipated market by no means absolutely materialized, with the aforementioned points undoubtedly enjoying an element, as nicely. By ZiPS, he did nicely to get as a lot as he did:

ZiPS tasks only a three-year, $70 million contract for that forecast, per Dan Szymborski, although maybe that’s not shocking on condition that Bellinger has had only one good season out of the final three. Based mostly on the percentile breakdowns, it seems the system offers him solely a few 10% to twenty% probability of matching or exceeding final yr’s efficiency:

Bellinger most likely doesn’t must match his 2023 numbers to justify opting out, and he does have two possibilities to determine when to enter the market once more. Nonetheless, a mediocre 2024 adopted by a powerful ’25 would most likely depart groups with comparable inquiries to those they confronted this winter.

As for the way he suits into the Cubs, the important thing phrase is flexibility. The crew already had Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, each coming into their age-29 seasons and on multi-year offers, set for the outfield corners. Previous to Bellinger’s re-signing, Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Twentieth-ranked prospect on our Top 100 list, appeared more likely to take over because the Chicago’s common heart fielder. A 2020 first-round choose acquired from the Mets within the Javier Báez commerce on the ’21 deadline, Crow-Armstrong hit a mixed .283/.365/.511 (127 wRC+) in 73 video games at Double-A Tennessee and 34 video games at Triple-A Iowa. He went simply 0-for-14 with three walks and two sacrifice hits in a cup of espresso with the Cubs, although to be honest, he began simply three of the 13 video games wherein he appeared. He’s thought of an elite heart fielder who’s fearless on the basepaths and may produce not less than common energy. “If he can plug that gap over time, he’ll be a five-tool celebrity,” wrote our prospect crew of Eric Longenhagen and Tess Taruskin. “Extra possible, he’ll have some 20-25 homer seasons amid a ton of strikeouts and a low OBP, with peak years resembling Mike Cameron’s (although nearly actually to not that degree of annual consistency).”

Given Crow-Armstrong’s age (he turns 22 on March 25) and modest quantity of upper-level expertise, it at all times appeared potential that he would begin the season within the minors earlier than rejoining the Cubs. Now it will seem much more possible. If he hits his means again to the majors in a rush, the Cubs may use him in heart subject and play Bellinger at first base, the place lefty-swinging rookie Michael Busch was slated to be the starter or not less than the lengthy half of a platoon with righty Patrick Wisdom. The 26-year-old Busch, no. 84 on our prospect listing, is taken into account a bat-only prospect who final performed first base commonly at North Carolina, and who could also be higher suited to DH responsibility. Alternately, Bellinger has expertise in each left subject (315.1 innings, although none since 2018) and proper (989 innings, the majority of them in 2019), and Happ has expertise at each defensive place besides shortstop and catcher, although he hasn’t performed the infield since 2021, when he totaled 36 innings, largely at second base. Additionally within the class of shifting components is Christopher Morel, who final yr noticed time in any respect three outfield positions plus second base, shortstop, and third base; he was projected to get the majority of the work at DH but additionally to be within the third base combine together with Nick Madrigal. Suffice to say that new supervisor Craig Counsell can have choices for methods to piece his lineup collectively, and {that a} clearer image could emerge throughout spring coaching.

By way of our Depth Charts projections, right here’s a comparability of how the state of affairs seemed before the signing and immediately after, when it comes to estimated plate appearances:

When it comes to general enjoying time, the actual loser of the Bellinger deal is Mike Tauchman, a succesful heart fielder who hit .252/.363/.377 (107 wRC+) final yr, with Crow-Armstrong, Madrigal, and Knowledge additionally shedding substantial time. Needless to say all of that is primarily based on greatest guesses simply as exhibition season has opened, and earlier than the Cubs have even confirmed the deal. Quite a bit may nonetheless change.

Notably with the Cardinals, Brewers, Cubs, and Reds each projected to win between 79 and 85 games, the NL Central is anticipated to be a dogfight. Any impactful addition may very well be the distinction between reaching the postseason — one thing the Cubs haven’t finished since 2020 — and staying dwelling. By bringing again Bellinger, the crew has given itself a greater shot at enjoying in October with out assuming an enormous long-term danger. Bellinger, for his half, will get to return to a snug state of affairs with a contending crew, whereas additionally figuring out that he can play his means into a much bigger contract. It will likely be fascinating to see how this all unfolds.