Major League Baseball’s offseason is heating up as New York Yankees top free agent prospect Juan Soto is expected to sign with the team within the next week.
While the spotlight has been on Soto’s exploits, other notable players have been involved in trade talks.
One of those players is Cody Bellinger of the Chicago Cubs, who has found new life in his career and is looking more like the most valuable player he was in 2019 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
MLB analyst Matt Vasgersian reports on three teams that have expressed interest in trading Bellinger.
“The Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros are all rumored to be knocking on the Cubs’ door,” Vasgersian said via MLB Network’s “X.”
The Yankees, Mariners and Astros have all reportedly contacted the Cubs with interest in trading Cody Bellinger.#MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/TvHlDejPmR
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 6, 2024
Bellinger entered the league in 2017 with the Dodgers, where he won the Rookie of the Year award as well as the MVP award in 2019.
The Yankees could look to trade Bellinger if they don’t bring Soto back next season, while the Mariners could use any improvements to their offense they can get.
Along with those two teams, the Astros are the third team interested in Bellinger, who has third baseman Alex Bregman as a free agent this offseason.
After a few years with the Dodgers, Bellinger had a productive final two seasons with the Cubs.
In 2024, Bellinger appeared in 130 games where he batted .266 with 18 home runs, 78 RBI and a .751 OPS.
Bellinger will be a name to watch when Soto decides where to play in 2025.
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