has stood as one of the most recognizable but difficult-to-move names on the offseason trade market. Among the teams to reach out recently are the Yankees, Astros and Mariners, . However, Levine adds that the Cubs arent looking to merely shed Bellingers salary, nor do they want to cover much (if any) money in a deal. Thats likely to be an i sue. that other teams feel the Cubs will need to pay down a notable portion of Bellingers salary (or, presumably, take back another contract) if they intend to get much in the way of a return. The Cubs have been looking to upgrade various spots on the roster but have a tough road to do so, in part due to no-trade clauses for , and . Other positions, like first base ( ) and center field ( ) are already manned by promising young players. Third baseman was only just acquired at the deadline. Second baseman makes some sense as an option to free up some cash and a spot in the lineup for a more impactful bat, but hes coming off flexor surgery. Thats led the Cubs to at least gauge interest in Bellinger, who pa sed on the opportunity to opt out of the remaining two years and $52.5MM on his contract at the beginning of the offseason. Bellinger had a fine year overall, hitting .266/.325/.426 with 18 homers and a tiny 15.6% strikeout rate (his second straight season with that exact strikeout rate). But while those numbers were solid, they pale in comparison to his 2023 showing. He also posted le ser defensive grades both in the outfield and at first bae in 2024. [Related: ] The Yankees have been laying some groundwork in the event that ultimately signs elsewhere, showing in top-tier free agents like , and . That said, thered pretty clearly be room for both Bellinger and Soto on the same roster. Bellinger could slot in at first base in the Bronx, offering another left-handed bat with good contact skills a contrast to some of the strikeout-prone righties elsewhere in the lineup. Hed also be good insurance in the outfield, given the injury histories of both and top prospect . Bellinger could also serve as a safety net in the event that Dominguez looks overmatched early on. In Houston, the Astros have a clear need at first base after their three-year, $58.5MM deal with went sideways almost immediately. After a poor first year in 2023, Abreu started the 2024 season so poorly that he consented to being optioned to the minors. That Triple-A stint didnt help, and Abreu was released le s than halfway through that three-year deal. The Stros subsequently gave most of the playing time at first base to , who provided light offense and subpar Estevan Florial Jersey defense the rest of the way. For the Mariners, first base has emerged as a clear need. They have at least one intriguing in-house option in prospect , but the Ms have been linked heavily to veterans and as they search for a veteran bat at first base (and likely another at the hot corner). Bellingers contact skills would help Seattle cut down on the teams longstanding strikeout i sues as well. The bigger i sue with regard to Bellinger isnt so much his overall ability, but rather the magnitude of his contract. Hes owed $52.5MM over the next two season a guarantee thats paid out in heavily frontloaded fashion. Hes taking home a $27.5MM salary in 2025 and is owed a $5MM buyout on a $25MM player option for the 2026 season if he opts out of the contracts final season next winter. For an acquiring team, Bellinger would add $26.25MM to the luxury tax ledger and would cost at least $32.5MM in terms of actual, present-day salary. For the 2023 version of Bellinger .307/.356/.525 (136 wRC+), 26 home runs teams would happily pay that price. Of course, if Bellinger had produced at that same level in 2024, hed surely have taken the first opt-out opportunity in his contract at the beginning of this offseason. That he chose to forgo his opt-out clause is indicative of the fact that he and agent Scott Boras dont believe theres a sizable nine-figure contract waiting for him. With regard to the Yankees, that luxury number could be problematic. Whether they sign Soto or pursue multiple free agents from the Fried/Burnes/Adames bucket after mi sing out on him, theyll surely be a luxury tax payor in at least the third tier of penalty if not the fourth. Since theyre looking at paying the tax in three straight seasons, that means theyll either be staring down a 95% tax or 110% tax rate. Bellinger would cost them somewhere between $52-56MM in combined salary and taxes plus that potential $5MM buyout on the 2026 option. Even for a deep-pocketed club like the Yankees, thats a staggering price to pay, particularly coming off a good-not-great season for Bellinger. The Astros, too, have some luxury concerns. that theyre just about $7MM shy of the first-tier threshold. Theyve looked into trading , but even if Houston were able to unload his full $14MM salary, Bellinger would still thrust them back into luxury territory. The 2024 season was the first in which owner Jim Crane authorized paying the tax. Adding Bellinger would very likely require doing so a second time. Speculatively speaking, a swap of Pre sly and Bellinger could make sense for both parties involved, though Pre sly can veto any potential deal as a player with 10-and-5 rights. Luxury considerations dont apply to the Mariners, but the actual bottom-line cash owed to Bellinger will be an obstacle. Seattle is looking to add two infielders and ownership doesnt seem to have an appetite for raising payroll too far beyond last years roughly $145MM level. The Mariners already project for a number in a similar range. If they could find a taker for one or , perhaps Bellinger would become more realistic. For now, it seems likely that ever-active president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto is simply doing due diligence, perhaps hoping the Cubs will pay down some of the contract (if not take someone like Garver back as part of the return). Bo Naylor Jersey
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