The Los Angeles Angels were linked to former Most Valuable Player Cody Bellinger all offseason long. Over the weekend, he went back to Chicago on a three-year, $80 million contract with the Cubs.
That deal was much lower than the $200 million or more Bellinger's camp was reportedly seeking — an outlay the Angels might have been able to fit into their budget.
Before Bellinger signed, The Athletic's Jim Bowden listed the Angels as one of the most likely destinations for Bellinger.
“The Cubs, Blue Jays and Angels seem to be the most likely destinations for Bellinger, who won the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award last season and finished 10th in the league MVP voting. His first choice appears to be re-signing with Chicago”
The Angels were clearly in the race, as according to Bookies.com, they had the second-best odds of landing the former MVP at +350. The Cubs were first with +175 odds.
However, outfield wasn't exactly a need for the Halos, and in the end, Bellinger returned to the place he had a resurgent 2023 season.
After putting up mediocre numbers with the Dodgers from 2020-22, Bellinger's 2023 looked more like his MVP year.
Bellinger slashed .307/.356/.525 with a .881 OPS, 26 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 153 hits, his most since 2019.
While Bellinger wouldn't have filled an exact need, he could have provided tons of power and speed in a lineup that, on paper, has some clear holes. He also played 59 games at first base for Chicago in 2023, and could have filled that role in Anaheim for the next few seasons.
The Angels have bigger needs than Bellinger, especially in the starting rotation. But a three-year, $80 million deal could have been perfect for the Halos to bring Bellinger back to Southern California.
Would there have been enough mutual interest from Bellinger’s camp to overcome the same offer from the Cubs? If so, the Angels have to be kicking themselves, at least a little, for not closing a deal.
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