Cubs' Cody Bellinger problem is further proof they should have signed Bryce Harper

More than three years after trading three players who had become the faces of the franchise in Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez, the Chicago Cubs are yet to have a player of that caliber take center stage.

Dansby Swanson, Justin Steele and even Cody Bellinger are all solidly above-average players - but this is a roster that pretty clearly lacks that transformational superstar talent. And with the front office reportedly out there desperate to unload Bellinger's contract, it's a good time to remember: things didn't have to be this way.

Late in the 2018-19 offseason, Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies after a lengthy spell in free agency. That deal meant he'd spend the rest of his career in Philly - and to say things have worked out well so far would be a dramatic understatement.

Missing out on Bryce Harper in free agency continues to haunt the Cubs

Since the start of the 2019 season, all Harper has done is averaged a .924 OPS and 149 OPS+ while earning a trio of Silver Sluggers, making two All-Star teams and winning National League MVP honors back in 2021. Meanwhile, the Phillies, as a team, have made the postseason three times, including making a run to the World Series in 2022 and winning their first NL East crown this year since 2011. The Cubs? They made the postseason once - in the shortened 2020 season - and were promptly swept by the Miami Marlins.

Now, there's a lot more that goes into the Phillies' success than Harper. But the point here is that Cubs ownership refused to open up the coffers to the level it would have taken to sign him - despite the obvious fit on the roster (and the fact Harper wanted to come to Chicago). Imagine how the end of the run with the 2016 core may have been different with Harper slotted in alongside the likes of Bryant, Rizzo and Baez. Imagine how different the scenario the Cubs find themselves in now may look - or even if they'd accept the reality at hand and pursue top-tier talent this winter.

Jed Hoyer is looking for a team to take on Bellinger's $27.5 million salary for next season that comes with a $5 million buyout on his 2026 player option. So we're talking about $32.5 million all-in. How much money is Harper making next year? $27.5 million.

The contrast between the two players speaks for itself. Bellinger, at this point, is a solidly above-average player when you look at everything he does well. But he's not the face of the franchise. Harper is an elite offensive player - something the Cubs lack - and have lacked - for several years now. The contracts players of this caliber are demanding only continue to get more expensive with each passing year, pricing them further and further outside Tom Ricketts' comfort zone, setting us up to go round and round this drain of disappointment for years to come.