Cody Bellinger has returned to the Chicago Cubs, reportedly agreeing to a three-year contract with the club. But it wasn’t the price he expected.
Bellinger, who had a lively season with Chicago last year with a .307/.356/.525 slash line, reportedly signed a three-season, $80 million deal.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the contract includes two opt-outs for each of the first two years. He will make $30 million in his first two seasons and $20 million in the final year of his contract. Of course, that’s if he doesn’t opt out at any point.
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Cody Bellinger of the Cubs watches a home run against the Kansas City Royals on August 19, 2023 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
Bellinger is reportedly seeking a $200 million contract after a strong season. However, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported that the Cubs were not willing to meet that price, and it appears no other team would either.
So if Bellinger wants to return to the team he was clearly comfortable with last season and test the market again over the next two years, the Cubs will give him the ability to do so.
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It’s not unusual for Scott Boras’ players to sign such deals. Carlos Correa signed a three-year, $105 million contract with the Minnesota Twins before the 2022 season, as no other long-term contract was on the table. He ended up opting out after his first season, but returned to the Twins on a six-year contract worth $200 million.
Bellinger, who was named the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year, is hoping for the same results this season if he can repeat those numbers. The outfielder’s previous two seasons were derailed by a shoulder injury suffered during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season, in which the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series.
He had an abysmal .165 batting average in 95 games in 2021, and didn’t do much in 2022, hitting .210/.265/.389 with 19 home runs and 68 RBIs. Recorded. He also had 150 strikeouts that season.
Bellinger lowered his strikeout rate from 27.3% to 15.7% last season and earned 97 RBIs, his highest since 2019 when he had 115 RBIs as an All-Star.
Cody Bellinger of the Chicago Cubs during a Brewers game at American Family Field on September 30, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
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So Bellinger made $5 million after opting out of the $25 million contract he had with the Cubs in his previous contract. But perhaps that big payday will depend on how he performs on a patient team in a free agent market that features left-hander Blake Snell, current National League Cy Young Award winner Matt Chapman and Jordan Montgomery. What will happen will depend on how well you perform. .
