Cody Bellinger is a free agent once again following the 2023 season. Bellinger's free agency circumstances are much different compared to last year though.
The Los Angeles Dodgers made the decision to move on from Bellinger after the 2022 campaign. The outfielder hit free agency looking to sign with a team and reestablish himself as a star-caliber player. That is exactly what Bellinger did with the Chicago Cubs.
Bellinger won the NL Comeback Player of the Year award and now holds much more control heading into this year's free agency. Teams will be looking to sign the 28-year-old to a lucrative, long-term contract extension.
Bellinger will have plenty of options to choose from. Today, we will be looking at the five best free agency destinations for the former MVP.
Cody Bellinger returns to the Cubs?
Bellinger found his footing in Chicago with the Cubs this past season. He slashed .307/.356/.525 with an .881 OPS across 130 games played. Bellinger added 26 home runs and 20 stolen bases in what was an all-around quality season for him.
The Cubs gave themselves a much better chance of re-signing Bellinger by not trading him prior to the deadline in early August. Had they dealt him away, Bellinger would be less likely to consider a reunion with the team.
The Cubs will surely be open to pursing Bellinger once again in free agency. Although it may prove to be unlikely given the amount of interest Bellinger will command, it is a possibility.
The outfielder/first baseman should at least consider returning given how well he performed in 2023.
Marlins get a superstar
The Miami Marlins will not be near the top of anyone's list when making predictions for where Bellinger will sign. Miami made a playoff run in 2023 though, and they need to stay aggressive.
Miami features a talented group of young pitchers. They need to add more offense though. Signing a star player to help anchor the lineup along with Jazz Chisholm will be of the utmost importance. In all reality, Miami probably should add two or three reliable offensive players.
Bellinger is a player in the middle of his prime who Miami can build around for years to come, however. A Chisholm and Bellinger-led lineup could lead to a much better all-around offensive performance in 2024 and beyond for the Marlins.
Brewers need a bat
The Milwaukee Brewers are another surprise on this list.
Milwaukee has been a contender over the years. The narrative has seemingly been the same though. Milwaukee features strong starting and relief pitching, but their offense has too many question marks.
The Brewers have failed to make deep postseason runs as a result. Milwaukee's priority must be on strengthening their offense, especially after trading Mark Canha away on Saturday. Signing Cody Bellinger would give Milwaukee a versatile player who can hit home runs and steal bases.
Christian Yelich's re-resurgence was nice to see in 2023, and putting Bellinger and Yelich on the same team would be entertaining. The two were of course paired together on a consistent basis in 2018 and 2019 when they were both MVP candidates, leading to the popular “Belli vs. Yeli” comparisons.
Cody Bellinger to the Guardians?
Yes, another small-market team makes our list. The Cleveland Guardians' offense was abysmal in 2023. They ultimately missed the playoffs and must address the lineup in order to bounce back.
Notably, Cleveland needs outfield help. Cody Bellinger would slot in nicely alongside Jose Ramirez in Cleveland's lineup. Bellinger's ability to move around the outfield and play first base wouldn't hurt matters either.
Cleveland hasn't exactly displayed a willingness to spend much money over the years. That said, they have signed players such as Ramirez, Andres Gimenez, Myles Straw, and Emmanuel Clase to contract extensions. Perhaps the Guardians will be open to adding stars in free agency to build around their core.
Whether it's Bellinger or someone else, Cleveland needs to add hitters or 2024 will be a long season.
Yankees make too much sense
Cody Bellinger was linked to the New York Yankees ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. A trade failed to come to fruition and New York ended up missing the playoffs altogether.
The “Bronx Bombers” struggled mightily with the bats this past year. Aaron Judge was terrific once again, but he spent a significant amount of time on the injured list.
New York must prioritize adding offense. And the Yankees would be a great fit for Cody Bellinger.
Bellinger's smooth left-handed swing would play extremely well in New York. He'd be able to play center or either of the corner outfield spots which is pivotal since Giancarlo Stanton needs to be a primary DH at this point in his career.
Many MLB experts have predicted that the Yankees will indeed sign Cody Bellinger. The fit makes a lot of sense, but there are still no guarantees.
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