3 ways the Chicago Cubs can reinvest the savings from trading Cody Bellinger

Cody Bellinger has been traded to the New York Yankees, leaving the Chicago Cubs with more payroll flexibility to improve the roster.

According to a report from Bleacher Nation's Michael Cerami, the Cubs will likely have an estimated $40 million to work on further roster additions. This leaves them with about $10 million for mid-season additions to keep themselves under the luxury tax threshold, which the team typically likes to stay under.

This money can be spread around to a few different areas to give the team a better chance to make the postseason. After sending a sizable package to the Astros for one year of Kyle Tucker's services, making the postseason in 2025 seems to be the number 1 priority for President Jed Hoyer. Here are some ways the Cubs can use their money to help make that goal a reality.

1. Add another starting pitcher

Another starter seems to be on the wishlist for the Cubs right now. Matthew Boyd is an improvement over Kyle Hendricks, but another solid MLB arm would help the team lock down more innings and push guys like Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks down on the depth chart. It's not like those two are incapable of being in the rotation, but the best teams in baseball boast a lot of starting pitching depth given the amount of arm injuries these days. Pushing Wicks, Assad and Cody Poteet into depth/swing man roles puts the team in a better position to make up for potential injuries in the middle of the season.

Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty seem like realistic free-agent targets. Flaherty would give the rotation a different look as a right-hander with high strikeout numbers. The 29-year-old is coming off his best season in years and could be looking for as much as $25 million a year, possibly putting him out of the Cubs' price range. If they can get the price closer to $20 million annually, I could see the front office going after him.

Buehler's contract is harder to project. At 30 years old, the former Dodgers pitcher hasn't seen consistent MLB success since the 2021 season, where he tossed 207 2/3 innings with a stellar 2.47 ERA. Injuries and an elbow reconstruction surgery resulted in Buehler missing the entire 2023 season. He returned in 2024 to lackluster results, posting a 5.38 ERA (5.54 FIP) in 16 starts. It's hard to tell if Buehler can be the former version of himself again, so signing him for any price would be a gamble.

Trading for an arm has also been heavily rumored this offseason and insider Bruce Levine hinted at a potential deal where the Cubs would land Miami Marlins southpaw Jesus Luzardo. The Seattle Mariners are also reportedly talking with teams about their rotation pieces, but a potential deal with the Cubs would involve Chicago sending out even more top prospects.

If the Cubs operated like some other big market teams, they would be making a move to sign former Brewers ace Corbin Burnes. With Max Fried, Nathan Eovaldi and Blake Snell off the board, Burnes is by far the best starting pitcher available. Unfortunately, the Cubs simply are not interested in signing big contracts like Burnes' projected $245 million deal.

2. Add more proven bullpen arms

Relief pitching should also be an area of focus to shore up the bullpen. MLB Network's Jon Morosi confirmed as much on Wednesday and said the are looking at the free-agent reliever market specifically.

A proven left-handed reliever has been a need for the Cubs for years at this point, and this free agency class features several viable options. Former Atlanta Brave A.J. Minter would be an excellent target since he is only 31 years old and has an impeccable record of success (career 3.28 ERA over eight seasons). Minter is more than just a lefty specialist since he is more than capable of handling right-handed bats. This would give the Cubs a solid set-up man who can close out some games if needed.

I don't expect the Cubs to be in on the Tanner Scott sweepstakes, who is the best reliever on the market. Scott's numbers have been incredible over the last two years (combined 7.6 WAR) and he would instantly project to be the Cubs' closing pitcher. But he is a bit pricey, likely looking for a three-year deal in the $40-$50 million range. The Cubs are typically not a team that gives long-term deals to relievers given the volatility of the position.

The last time the Cubs front office committed to a reliever was when they signed Craig Kimbrel to a three-year $43 million deal in 2019. Theo Epstein was still in charge at that time and the move backfired pretty significantly. Kimbrel only began producing in the final year of his deal in 2021, and he was eventually traded to the White Sox for Codi Heuer and Nick Madrigal.

I don't see Jed Hoyer making another risky deal like that so Scott may be off the table. A shorter-term deal for a guy like Kirby Yates or Carlos Estevez could make sense. Yates has been a rumored target for the Cubs and he would give the bullpen much-needed experience and potentially a solid closing option.

Two more bullpen arms seem like the right number and I would anticipate Hoyer trying to keep the price tag below $20 million for future bullpen additions.

3. Add a third baseman

The Cubs left their third base depth thin when they traded Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith to the Houston Astros. It was the cost of acquiring Tucker and I don't fault them for making that deal, but they do need to address third base before the season starts.

Matt Shaw is the most likely internal candidate and Hoyer confirmed that he will get a "long look" at the position this Spring. And rightfully so because Shaw is a highly-touted prospect both internally (no. 1 in the organization) and externally (no. 22 on MLB Pipeline). He is a guy who will likely play the position at an average level while providing excellent speed on the bases. It remains to be seen how his bat will transfer to MLB but he has excelled at both contact and power hitting through all levels of the minors.

Shaw's presence shouldn't stop Hoyer from adding third base depth though. The 22-year-old is still a young and unproven player who may not be ready to handle the position full-time. Aside from Alex Bregman, a guy who would likely command $25-$30 million annually and effectively block Shaw, the free agent market is thin. That being said, it's possible Hoyer brings in a veteran to share time with Shaw at third and possibly pass the baton to him later in the year. This would be a cheap move to provide insurance in case Shaw struggles early on.

Gio Urshela, J.D. Davis or Yoan Moncada are the available candidates that fit the bill. Other than a cheap third baseman and possibly another bench bat, I don't anticipate the Cubs making any more meaningful additions to the lineup after the Tucker trade and Carson Kelly signing.