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Chicago Cubs sign star OF Cody Bellinger to 3-Year $80 Million Contract
Introduction
On Sunday, February 25th, 2024 the Chicago Cubs announced that they have finalized a deal in which they are signing their star outfielder, Cody Bellinger, to a 3-year contract worth up to approximately $80 million which ends Bellinger’s prolonged free agency period. With a return engagement to the Chicago Cubs is very much deserved for Cody following such an outstanding 2023 MLB season playing ball in Chicago with the Cubbies.
Contract Specifics
The now 28-year-old Bellinger has some opt-out clauses in his new contract with the Chicago Cubs. One comes following the 1st as well as the 2nd year of the new agreement according to sources. Cody will receive a $30 million salary for the quickly approaching 2024 MLB season, $30 million for the 2025 MLB season only if he does not opt out after the 1st - year, and $20 million for the 2026 MLB season if Bellinger does not opt out after the 2nd - year of this deal.
Coming off a big-league season in which Cody compiled a slash line consisting of .307/.356/.525 to go along with his 26-home runs as well as his 97 - RBIs. Bellinger went in to the MLB free agency market in hopes of securing a mega long-term contract. Although a full-bodied and healthy market for his services never materialized from other MLB franchises, Bellinger seems to have taken a similar path to that of Carlos Correa (who shares the same agent in Scott Boras).
Prior to the 2022 MLB season, Correa signed a 3-year deal valued at close to $105 million with the Minnesota Twins following no other club offered him a longer - term contract which he considered worth signing. Carlos opted out after the 1st - MLB season of that agreement and then eventually returned back to the Minnesota Twins on a 6-year $200 million contract following some medical issues that interfered with his deal that never materialized with the San Francisco Giants as well as the New York Mets.
Bellinger's new deal with the Chicago Cubs is presently pending a physical examination which should take place over the next week or so.
Cody Bellinger
Bellinger’s health during the 2023 Major League Baseball season enabled Cody to thrive in a year of ball that earned him the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award. He finished in 10th place in the National League MVP Award voting, and he nearly cut his strike out rate in half from his previous MLB seasons as he proved his ability to hit well against left-handed pitching as a lefty himself as he batted .337 against left-handed pitching to go along with his .984 OPS against them as well.
Prior to Bellinger rejoining the Chicago Cubs, Cody was coming off two down years of ball as he was hindered by a lingering shoulder injury resulting from the 2020 MLB postseason. Even though Bellinger produced the lowest average exit velocity of his career back in 2023 at just 87.9 - mph, Cody often cut down on his swing with 2 - strikes to make contact and even though it would be soft contact he managed to avoid strikeouts. Bellinger’s whiff rate dropped to a career - low 15.6 % as he batted a solid .279 with 2 - strikes, 2nd - best in all Major League Baseball behind the great and highly talented, Luis Arraez.
Cody now rejoins to a Chicago Cubs squad that has patiently ultimately stayed out a free agent market that still includes the National League Cy Young Award winner in Blake Snell, the World Series superstar, Jordan Montgomery, as well as the MLB All - Star 3rd - baseman named, Matt Chapman.
New Additions to the 2024 MLB Roster of the Chicago Cubs
After the signing of the left-handed pitcher in Shota Imanaga who inked a 4-year contract worth up to $53 million, the Chicago Cubs also added the relief pitcher, Hector Neris, on a 1-year agreement for $9 million. The Chicago Cubs also traded for the former Los Angeles Dodgers’ prospect in Michael Busch, who will compete for the starting 1st - base role with this year’s Chicago Cubs ball club.
Versatility on the Diamond
Cody can actually play 1st - base or most of the outfield positions as well. The Chicago Cubs valued the versatility Bellinger brought to the field day - in - and - day - out throughout the previous MLB season, as the Chicago Cubs used Cody 84 - times in the outfield and 59 - times in the infield. Bellinger established himself as a dual position big-league superstar with the Los Angeles Dodgers, with whom he won National League Rookie of the Year Award way back in 2017, and he was also named the National League MVP back in 2019 after he put together a slash line at that time consisting of .305/.406/.629.
Bellinger last fell off in terms of his on the field production during the COVID-shortened 2020 MLB season, and he spiraled downwards worse throughout the 2021 MLB season by hitting .165/.240 /.302 with 10-home runs in his total of 95 games that year. As his health was still in question during the 2022 MLB season, he batted .210/.265/.389 with 19 home runs in 144 total games and was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers that year.
Cody then went to the Chicago Cubs last season for just $17.5 million where he won a Silver Slugger Award, opted - out of a $25 million option for this upcoming MLB season, and Coody entered a free agency market that looked promising for one of the best major league hitters that was available at the time. General managers deemed Bellinger’s initial asking price way too high, and as Cody remained on the MLB free agency market, the number of teams that committed to spending money plummeted.
MLB franchises that have pointed to the uncertainty of local television broadcast rights as a motivation not to spend big dollars right now. Aside from the Los Angeles Dodgers, who committed well over $1 billion, the highest - spending team has been the San Francisco Giants at a whopping $207.25 million.
Bellinger’s Baseball Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- 2 - Time MLB All - Star Selection (2017, 2019)
- World Series Champion (2020)
- National League MVP Award Winner (2019)
- NLCS MVP Award Winner (2018)
- All - MLB First Team Selection (2019)
- National League Rookie of the Year Award Winner (2017)
- National League Comeback Player of the Year Award Winner (2023)
- Gold Glove Award Winner (2019)
- 2 - Time Silver Slugger Award Winner (2019, 2023)
Sources:
“Cody Bellinger, Cubs agree on 3 - year, $80M deal”, Jeff Passan, espn.com, February 25, 2024.
“Cody Bellinger”, baseball-reference.com, February 25, 2024.