Cubs offseason drama begins with Cody Bellinger memory and Alex Bregman possibilities

With MLB free agency beginning on Thursday, there will be a handful of players to declare for free agency in the days ahead. Club options and player options must be made by Thursday, and the Chicago Cubs still have decisions to make with Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea, Justin Turner, and Andrew Kittredge. Elsewhere, two players who figure to be connected to the Cubs this offseason opted out of their respective contracts on Monday.

As expected, Alex Bregman opted out of his deal with the Boston Red Sox after signing a three-year, $120MM deal last offseason. Joining Bregman on the free-agent market on Thursday will be former Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger, who opted out of the final year of his contract.

With the Cubs not expected to be the final bidder for Kyle Tucker, naturally, there will be rumors that the team could pursue a reunion with Bellinger. Short of Bellinger's market completely bottoming out, it's hard to make much of a case that he will be back with the Cubs. As much as the Cubs need to replace Tucker's impact, it seems that it won't be through adding a veteran outfielder.

Cody Bellinger will be an oft-rumored name for the Cubs this offseason, but Alex Bregman makes the most sense.

It's easy to make the case for Bregman to be among the top targets for the Cubs this winter. While their offer ultimately wasn't competitive, it's worth mentioning that the North Siders offered a four-year deal to the All-Star third baseman last winter worth $120MM. Their offer to Bregman was not believed to have an option after the first year. In other words, the Cubs were prepared to pay the 31-year-old for multiple seasons.

Pursuing Bregman would allow the Cubs to improve two areas of their roster at once. Bregman's bat would be viewed as the primary replacement for Tucker's impact next season, and his arrival would push Matt Shaw to a utility role on the bench.

Shaw still has a high ceiling, but his struggles to close out the season and into the playoffs should have the Cubs willing to look for a third base upgrade in a season where they are expected to contend. Shaw would still see ample playing time, backing up multiple infield positions, and would raise the floor of production from the bench--a unit that was a massive liability this past season.