Why Trading Cody Bellinger is a Misstep for the Cubs
The Chicago Cubs still have plenty of money to improve their roster and retain Cody Bellinger. After the Cubs signed Matt Boyd to a two-year, $29 million deal, I began to wonder how the rest of their offseason would unfold. While there have been rumors suggesting the Cubs are considering trading Bellinger, I don’t think it’s necessary. Any team would appreciate saving the $27 million owed to Bellinger and reallocating it elsewhere. However, the issue with the Cubs’ current roster is that, if they’re not planning to shop in the high-end free agency market, where will they spend the money if Bellinger isn’t part of the team?
As it stands, the Cubs’ offense consists of:
- Miguel Amaya, C
- Michael Busch, 1B
- Nico Hoerner, 2B
- Dansby Swanson, SS
- Isaac Paredes, 3B
- Ian Happ, LF
- Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
- Cody Bellinger, RF
Bench: Matt Thaiss, Alexander Canario, Miles Mastrobuoni, Luis Vazquez
Without Bellinger, the Cubs would need to add another bat to remain competitive in 2025. If we hypothetically add Pete Alonso, it would result in weaker defense at both first base and in the outfield, with Seiya Suzuki returning to right field. While Bellinger may not hit 30+ home runs, he offers a higher batting average, exceptional defense across multiple positions, and speed to offset his lower power. Bellinger’s 2.2 WAR in 2024, though not ideal, was higher than Alonso’s 2.1, even though Alonso hit 16 more home runs.
Alternatively, the Cubs could opt to use Alonso exclusively as a designated hitter, with Busch at first base. However, convincing Alonso to sign a deal for only the DH role might be difficult.
In light of this, it makes sense to keep Bellinger, given his solid contributions. After Boyd’s signing, the Cubs still have about $40 million to work with before reaching the first tier of the luxury tax, which will likely be their spending cap this offseason. Taking into account the need to keep some money for potential trade deadline moves, the Cubs should have at least $32 million left for offseason additions.
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