Ivy League Cubs

By: Jacob Zanolla

With the Cubs being eliminated and having all of October off, Jed Hoyer and company have more time to prepare for the upcoming offseason. One of the deciding factors for this winter is the decision coming soon from Cody Bellinger, and whether he will elect to test free agency again or not. Bellinger signed a one year “prove-it” deal with Chicago before the 2023 season, and was absolutely fantastic. The Cubs were really the only true fit for him last offseason, and he agreed, signing a three year deal to return to the north side (with 2 player options). Bellinger and his agent Scott Boras will now have to decide if there is enough value that makes it worth testing the waters of free agency. 

Several sources have indicated to Ivy League Cubs that Cody Bellinger is leaning towards opting out of his current contract with the Chicago Cubs, and testing free agency this winter. Nothing is set in stone, and Scott Boras can change his mind at any time, but the signs are pointing towards what is the right choice for the team and the player. 

Scott Boras is known for getting the most money possible, although that narrative changed last winter. Several of his big clients waited until right before Spring Training to sign, and showed their displeasure to the media. Jordan Montgomery dropped Boras and talked about how poorly the situation was handled, and Nick Castellanos joined him in dropping the Boras Corporation last week after the Phillies were eliminated by the New York Mets. While Boras has shown some signs of weakness, one bad offseason doesn’t take away from the fantastic (from the players side) work he has done throughout his career. 

Bellinger earned 2.2 fWAR in 2024, exactly half of his 4.4 fWAR from 2023. A big focus in Jed Hoyer’s press conference after the season was the weather, and how it affected the team’s offense. This was a factor, no one is debating that. Bellinger put up a 117 wRC+ and .282 average on the road, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 46 runs. At Wrigley, he had a 99 wRC+, setting him at league average offensively. His average was .247, with 8 home runs and 32 runs batted in. If he played to his road stats all season, estimating that he earns at least 3 fWAR isn’t far-fetched at all. 

Knowing that you have someone who can play a strong first base is an incredible feeling as a manager, and knowing that the same person can play an incredible center field is even better. Oh, and that same hitter can make plays in right field as well! One of Bellinger’s best qualities is his defense, and the fact he can play multiple positions. He won a Gold Glove award in 2019 for his work in center field, the same year he won the National League MVP award. 

He provides plenty of value on both sides of the ball, but that doesn’t mean it’s in the Cubs’ best interest for him to stay around. He raises the talent floor of the 2025 roster, but blocks some of the top prospects. Bellinger also makes it a lot harder to acquire a big bat this offseason. If Boras and Bellinger decide to opt-in and return to Chicago, they have $52,500,000 left in the two years remaining. 

The upcoming free agent class is rather week. Juan Soto will demand the most attention, although it seems pretty clear that he will stay in New York, whether he chooses the Bronx or Queens. Anthony Santander is another top name available, with Pete Alonso hitting the market as well. If teams don’t want to worry about spending a fortune on Juan Soto, pivoting to Cody Bellinger is a very attractive option. 

Bellinger will have to make his official decision in the coming weeks, which will lead way to a massive offseason as the Cubs try to make the playoffs in a full season. for the first time since 2018.

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