Cody Bellinger’s Cubs reunion remains uncertain

Recent word has the Cubs and their own free agent Cody Bellinger still apart in talks.

The Cubs seemed to make sense from the start since Bellinger regained his offensive form, hitting .306 with an .881 OPS, on Chicago’s North Side after they made the prescient signing for $17.5M last year. Agent Scott Boras suggested back at the GM meetings the Cubs needed to move to get in the game, and it’s uncertain if they have.

The Giants, Jays and Mariners all look like potential fits. But are there others?

Could the Phillies be an option? They were getting basically no production out of center field in the playoffs, and they’re a team that’s thrived in free agency. Of course, they seem more focused on a starter at present (Jordan Montgomery maybe?)

How about the Angels? Mike Trout can’t be too thrilled about their playoff chances following the loss of Shohei Ohtani, and they obviously have plenty of money to spend. Bellinger could also keep Trout healthy by allowing him to move to a corner spot.

For now Bellinger, one of three MVPs to reach free agency by age 27 (Barry Bonds and Harper), remains one of the more fascinating free-agent cases in years.

Consider, Bellinger is:

• 1 of 4 in the last decade to win MVP and been in the top 10 twice more (Trout, Mookie Betts, Jose Altuve)
• 1 of 3 OF to hit .300 with 55 extra-base hits in 2023 (Ronald Acuna Jr., Betts)
• 1 of 3 players with an 80 percent contact rate and .525 slugging percentage (Acuna, Betts, Freddie Freeman)
• 1 of 5 with an .800 OPS and a positive outs above average on defense (Freeman, Harper, Luis Robert, Corbin Carroll)
• 1 of 6 with a .300 BA and .500 SLG (Corey Seager, Acuna, Freeman, Betts, Shohei Ohtani)
• 1 of 2 historically with great offense at both center field and first base, defined as an .800 OPS and 300 games at each position (Stan Musial).

Bellinger also had two dreadful offensive seasons (following a shoulder injury suffered in a 2020 World Series home run celebration) and is knocked by below-average hard-hit rate and exit velocities in 2023, making his case one of the more interesting ever.