Cubs Open to Trading Cody Bellinger; Should Dodgers Bring Him Back?
The Chicago Cubs are reportedly open to trading former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger.
Just weeks after Bellinger opted into his $27.5 million player option for 2025, Jeff Passan of ESPN has reported that the left-handed batter is now “available” on the trade market.
The move appears to be motivated by the struggles he faced during his 2023 free agency, which he likely wanted to avoid repeating. If the Cubs were to entertain trading him, they would undoubtedly attract plenty of interest from other teams.
Although the Chicago Cubs expressed interest in re-signing Cody Bellinger last offseason, it was almost with some hesitation. He then had a down year in 2024, with his OPS dropping by 130 points from 2023.
There really isn’t much room for Bellinger in Chicago these days. With his performance continuing to disappoint and the rise of younger players, he is the perfect trade bait for a team looking to add a veteran outfielder to their lineup.
Bellinger now finds himself blocked at his two best positions, with Pete Crow-Armstrong taking over in center field and Michael Busch at first base. The Cubs could look to diversify their offense, and trading Bellinger might be a way to achieve that while freeing up payroll to reinvest in another hitter.
Does all of this mean the Dodgers should explore a trade for their former outfielder? Not necessarily.
Bellinger hit 18 home runs in 2024, down from 26 the year before. While his numbers aren’t quite at the level of his early years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he won the 2019 NL MVP, he remains a valuable left-handed bat for the Cubs. He’s also become a consistent threat against left-handed pitching, posting a .298 average against them in 2024 after hitting .337 in 2023.
Bellinger’s status with the Cubs will be something to monitor throughout the winter. It’s unlikely the Dodgers look to bring him back, as they would likely spend that money elsewhere.
More news: Walker Buehler Reveals He Lied to Mark Prior in Dodgers World Series Game 5
Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
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No ! Where would Dodgers play him .
No ! Where would Dodgers play him .
“Should the Dodgers sign Bellinger” …….. isn’t that the same exact story as last year? WHAT? Do they keep there files on a rolodex and recycle them every year?
Cody is not the same player he was in his first couple of years with the Dodgers. His salary is way too much for little output.
Too many bad memories for him and the fans. Psychologically this is a bad place for him. Too much pressure. Love the guy, but he should stay low key!
Trade Chris Taylor for Bellinger straight up.
Cody did have an impressive start to his career with the Dodgers. Kudos and thank you to him for it.
But since his MVP year and later injury, he’s had one good and one OK year. Nothing great. At this point, he’s likely much more expensive than Edman or Outman or even Pages, but how much better is he. Yeah, he’s got a better glove and probably more HR, but how much more? And better overall? I wish him well, but don’t see him as a fit.
Cody is a badass and still lightening fast on the bases.
Utility outfielder and let him DH every game Shohei pitches!