Cubs Desperate to Add Cody Bellinger? Brewers’ $34 Million Signing Impacts North Side Team’s Options

One team’s success could be another’s wake-up call! The Chicago Cubs have remained adamant in their stance regarding Cody Bellinger—they want him but not at the price decided by Scott Boras. But the Cubs also once wanted Rhys Hoskins, the fellow Boras client. But now that slugger is going somewhere else, suddenly a reality has stuck with the Cubs fans, what if Bellinger is next?

Even though Bellinger’s free agency has remained cold, there’s a chance to reheat it soon. Either by lowering the asking price or by delaying it, Boras’ single move can change the entire complexion of the situation. So with the Bellinger rush set to begin, should the Cubs nip the bud before it blooms?

Chicago Cubs and Cody Bellinger—Ross and Rachel of Baseball

A few days ago, there was a report that the Cubs considered Matt Chapman as a potential fallback for Bellinger. One needs to remember that Rhys Hoskins, too, was once a fallback option. Because of Chapman and Hoskins’ availability, the Cubs seemed relaxed regarding Bellinger. But the situation has changed rather rapidly, with Rhys Hoskins joining the Milwaukee Brewers for two years for $34 million.

Suddenly, the Cubs are short of a stable safety net. Though the links with Hoskins had reduced ever since the acquisition of Mark Busch, one could still make a case that his presence was beneficial. Hoskins is a reliable defensive player with one of the most powerful bats in the league, with over 30 home runs in nearly every season and an 11.1 career WAR.

But now, President Jed Hoyer has a tough situation on his hands. He’s lost a good and cheap backup and also received a strong message: act fast because Boras won’t wait for long. The North Siders have been lucky so far in that other teams have also not met the $200 million demands of Bellinger, but that could change. Especially now, with teams getting more desperate as they get closer to spring training.

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Could the stubbornness of Hoyer come back to bite the Cubs? It’s not like the team has no resources; it is one of the biggest market teams in the league. So what will be the end of this song of fire and ice?

Boras and Hoyer—Can one compromise?

Both Boras and Hoyer are not in the mood to compromise right now. Both have a reputation to live up to: super deals for Boras and responsible spending for Hoyer. But for Bellinger, one party has to compromise. One could argue that this type of impasse could lead to a creative contract that satisfies both parties equally. There’s a chance that we may eventually see it.

Read more: Chicago Cubs GM Backs ”Small Market” Mentality That Landed Shota Imanaga, Urges Patience Amidst Stalled Cody Bellinger Talks

The Cubs are already known for their creativity; the Shota Imanaga deal was a classic example of that. What if that type of creativity gets used for Bellinger? Would Boras be satisfied then?