Cody Bellinger in Free Agency Trouble? Star Outfielder’s Market Shrinks as Scott Boras Awaits Best Deal

It’s that time of the year when a single deal can affect many players. Case in point, the recent agreement between Jorge Soler and the San Francisco Giants may have had a ripple effect on Cody Bellinger. The Bay Bombers were once heavily linked with Belli, but Soler’s signing could make them exit his sweepstakes, especially as they’re far more closely linked to Matt Chapman. So with the ever-thinning market shrinking even more, this could be a cause for worry for Bellinger. 

The story of Bellinger’s free agency has remained the same. Teams come in, and then they exit, and sometimes they return. However, at this stage of the offseason, an exit could turn out to be permanent. With Scott Boras looking for a better deal for his client, one wonders how that’ll happen if they keep losing teams to other players. 

Cody Bellinger, now running a race against time

The Cody Bellinger free agency has recently seen a few names get attached to it.  The ever-present Chicago Cubs, the resurgent Toronto Blue Jays, the Giants, and the Philadelphia Phillies. There have been hints of the Los Angeles Angels being interested in him as well. So this created a picture of Boras having a big playing field, however, things have rapidly unraveled in the past few days.

Bellinger’s links with the Phillies got hotter when reports emerged last week that Brand Marsh would undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. But then USAToday’s Bob Nightengale revealed that Marsch was expected to be ready by opening day. President Dave Dombrowski announced that the team isn’t looking for a starting outfielder. Effectively cooling off Bellinger links.

Now the Giants have agreed to a deal with Jorge Soler. His contract reportedly runs for three years. As a result, things could be cooling for Bellinger here as well. This not only affects his market but has potentially once again put the ball in the Cubs’ court. 

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Despite recent strong links with the Blue Jays, the Cubs have remained the most likely destination for Bellinger. Part of the reason is the suitability and lack of experience on the Cubs’ roster.

Chicago Cubs are once again the favorites

So in a way, Scott Boras’ playing field has narrowed down to the Cubs, Blue Jays, and possibly the Angels. Among these, the Cubbies and Jays look like chief competitors. However,  the relationship between the Cubs and Bellinger is too good to ignore. Not only did the two excel together, but there’s a chance that they’ll struggle without each other.

Despite having strong prospects in the infield, the Cubs need a trusted hand like Bellinger to guide them through. After all, he was one of their best hitters in 2023. Simultaneously, Bellinger wouldn’t want to risk losing the form he worked so hard to regain. So with that caveat, the Cubs remain ahead but things could always change – that has been the story so far.

Read more: Cody Bellinger and Chicago Cubs to Find Middle Ground? Off-Season Stalemate Continues Despite Seemingly Perfect Fit