The uncertainty of whether they will or won’t is persisting. Since the beginning of this offseason, the Chicago Cubs and Cody Bellinger have been linked with each other. It’s an obvious connection with both of them loving their time together in 2023. But it looks like they just can’t find a middle ground yet. Maybe because of the other “potential fits” for the outfielder.

With the other links losing their intensity, the Bellinger free agency hinges on the Cubs’ interest. Could this constant hesitation from both parties be a sign of troubling times for Cody Love and his agent, Scott Boras?

The prospect of a Cody Bellinger-Cubs reunion is uncertain, with other teams looming in the background

Cody Bellinger is a rather interesting case. Even though he’s just 28, the slugger has seen it all in baseball—the highest of highs and lowest of lows. But it looks like while Bellinger wants his contract to represent the highs, his suitors value it using his lows. As a result, there’s a wide disparity between what he wants and what the team wants to offer. Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently wrote, “Recent word has the Cubs and their own free agent Cody Bellinger still apart in talks.”

This has been the story since the beginning of this free agency. While expectations of Bellinger and Boras have climbed to over $200, maybe even $300 million, the Cubs just won’t budge. Even though Bellinger had a .306 average and won the Silver Slugger award last season in the Cubs, the North Siders aren’t willing to shell out that high of an amount for him. The reason is simple – Bellinger still elicits doubts.

Bellinger’s hard-hit rate and exit velocity rates were below average in 2023. This could either mean he has adjusted his game or that his overall numbers in 2023 were just an anomaly. At the same time, his injuries have piled up, so there’s an added risk of giving Bellinger a long contract only for him to get injured more and more as he ages. Still, there are quite a few teams eying for Bellinger.

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The Cubs are ahead, but the competition remains strong

Heyman named the Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants, and the Seattle Mariners as “potential fits” for Bellinger. Though the Cubs have remained the favorites, the Blue Jays and the Giants have remained in the hunt for a long time. Even though both of these teams have made a few additions to the hitting lineup this offseason, Bellinger still interests them. The Mariners too can make a play after emptying much of their payroll this offseason.

This could worry the Cubs as a longer wait would just lead to Boras shifting his interest to these teams. So even after being favorites since day one, this constant hesitation could risk them losing Bellinger to one of their rivals. Are the Cubbies willing to bear that cost?

Read more: Is Scott Boras Client Cody Bellinger Set for a Free Agency Like Bryce Harper Amidst Prolonged Off-Season Talks?