The trade saga is over as the Chicago Cubs have reportedly agreed to trade OF/1B Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees. After negotiating through the Winter Meetings, the two sides have completed a deal that has been rumored since the summer of 2023.
BREAKING: OF/1B Cody Bellinger has been traded from the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees, sources tell ESPN. Bellinger, 29, is a former MVP and has two years remaining on his contract with an opt-out after 2025. Yankees continue to be aggressive post-Juan Soto.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 17, 2024
You knew it was eventually going to happen and at the end the Cubs and Yankees stopped the posturing and agreed that the Cubs would send $5 million along with Bellinger.
Cubs sending Yankees $5M in Bellinger trade, source tells @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 17, 2024
That covers Bellinger's opt out following the 2025 season if he ends up deciding to leave for free agency.
As for the return, the Cubs are getting right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet.
RHP Cody Poteet is going to Chicago for Bellinger, a source confirmed to @TheAthletic. @JeffPassan was on it.
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) December 17, 2024
Cubs Closer to Trading Cody Bellinger
While no deal has been completed the feeling remains the same after the Winter Meetings wrapped up in Dallas. The Chicago Cubs are working hard to facilitate a trade that would send OF/1B Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees and as of Wednesday night the two teams have reportedly made progress on agreeing to a deal.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the main issue stalling talks between the Cubs and Yankees involving a Bellinger trade is money. However, it appears as though the Cubs are getting closer to trading Bellinger, making progress towards a swap on the final day of the Winter Meetings.
Via the New York Post.
Bellinger looked like the best fit of all as a lefty-hitting first baseman/center fielder, and while the Yankees and Cubs were still apart on money, there was said to be a bit of progress late Wednesday.
There’s some promise there.
The hang-up was about money, with the Cubs asking the Yankees to take on nearly the full $52.5M Bellinger’s due over the next couple years, and the Yankees expecting more cash coming back.
But with the prices rising across the board, the two big-market teams have a chance to work something out.
So, it does seem like the Cubs are purely moving Bellinger as a salary dump, which is disappointing coming from a big-market team. However, clearing Bellinger's contract from the Cubs' 2025 payroll would give the front office more flexibility to spend this offseason. Whether that means taking on another big contract that another team wants to get rid of or pursing talent in free agency.
On Thursday, Heyman added that the Cubs may be willing to send cash to the Yankees to get the Bellinger trade done.
Jon Heyman reported on his B/R livestream that the Chicago Cubs are now willing to eat some of the Cody Bellinger contract.
— Jacob Zanolla (@jacobzanolla) December 12, 2024
Eat around $5-$7M, and get it done. Wouldn’t be shocked if a deal is finished within a few days, therefore speeding up a possible trade for Kyle Tucker
Obviously a lot of the attention this week has been about the Cubs having active trade talks with the Houston Astros for Kyle Tucker. The Astros are adamant about wanting Isaac Paredes and Seiya Suzuki plus a prospect in return for Tucker. While I'm not on board with the idea of also including Suzuki in that potential trade, what if the Cubs were to pursue free agent slugger Pete Alonso?
A Bellinger trade, even with some money kicked in by the Cubs, would open up more payroll. If the Cubs send Suzuki to the Astros, then they'll need a DH and Alonso could be the answer, especially if his market isn't as robust as he thought heading into free agency.
ESPN's Jeff Passan said earlier this week that, "the perception is that there is not much of one," in regards to Alonso's market so far this offseason. USA Today's Bob Nightengale had a similar note on Alonso on Thursday, saying the slugger's market "appears to be slow."
So maybe there is a path where the Cubs end up with Kyle Tucker and Pete Alonso, who would be replacing Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki. That was part of this week's Cubs conversation on the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast.
Let's go, Jed, we're waiting!
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