Entering this offseason, the Chicago Cubs seemed like a perfect reunion candidate for star slugger Cody Bellinger after he put together his best season since he won National League MVP in 2019.
His slash line of .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs, 97 RBI and OPS+ of 133 earned him the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year award.
After that performance, it was expected Bellinger could get upwards of $200 million after hitting free agency, something that his agent Scott Boras continues to push for this offseason.
However, the list of suitors has been much smaller than originally expected.
There is some thought out there that last year was a flash in the pan and he could regress to the player who put up back-to-back seasons with an OPS+ of 44 and 81 during 2021 and 2022.
Handing out the type of contract Bellinger and his agent are looking for and getting that poor of a performance could be disastrous for teams.
But, former Cubs star pitcher Marcus Stroman doesn't think the slugger will struggle, and projects him to get back into the MVP conversation again soon.
"I love Belli. I'm hoping he gets the best deal possible. Big fan of Belli. He's an incredible human. I love how he competes. His preparation is elite. I think he's back on MVP Belli track," Stroman said according to Jon Morosi.
Chicago continues to be the team just about every insider thinks will land Bellinger this offseason.
The fit is just too good to ignore.
The Cubs need power hitter and flexibility on defense. Bellinger provides that and has done it with Chicago.
Whether or not the front office ultimately meets the contract demands to land the slugger will be determined in the upcoming weeks. Spring Training is right around the corner and both parties will have to know who is going to be on the roster when the season officially begins.
More must-reads: