The Miami Marlins remain right in the thick of the playoff hunt. At the time of writing, the Marlins have a 54-48 record, which may be good for just third in the NL East, but they're still within shouting distance of the wild card spots. They're only one game back of the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks, so it's not too big of a surprise to see that the Marlins are on the hunt for a big bat to add more pop to the lineup, especially after already adding a pitcher to upgrade their depth.

One such name that has popped up on the trade front is Chicago Cubs centerfielder Cody Bellinger, the hard-hitting lefty who managed to revive his career in the Windy City. However, there is a hang-up that could arise should the Marlins pursue negotiations with the Cubs.

As Jon Morosi of MLB Network pointed out, the Marlins are still “looking at” adding Bellinger. However, according to Baseball Reference's latest playoff projections, the Cubs are likelier to make the postseason than the Marlins even though they have a 49-51 record at the moment. Per the famous baseball website, the Cubs have a 36.6 percent chance to make the playoffs, while the Marlins have a 28.8 percent chance.

The Marlins may be more likely to make the playoffs via the wild card, but the NL Central is more wide open than the NL East, giving the Cubs a bigger chance to usurp both the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds for the division crown. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves' presence alone will make climbing the NL East difficult for the Marlins, not to mention the pesky Philadelphia Phillies.

Nonetheless, should the Cubs fall further in the coming days, it might be best for them to trade Cody Bellinger anyway, cashing in on an asset that will hit free agency in a few months' time.