It turns out the Cubs trading Cody Bellinger really was a straight salary dump

After pulling off the blockbuster trade for Kyle Tucker, Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs sent Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees and wound up having to eat minimal dollars - but got a fringe big-leaguer in return. Fine - the goal was clearing payroll; giving the front office more dollars to utilize this offseason.

Well, it turns out that's about half true. The goal was clearing payroll. But Hoyer's comments after missing out on Alex Bregman this week indicate that re-investing those dollars may not have ever been in the cards.

“It’s important to be opportunistic and that was sort of the case I was making [to ownership],” he told Marquee Sports Network on Thursday.“I realize this is a financial stretch above our budget, but this is the moment to do it.”

That same Marquee article indicates the Cubs are right around their 2025 payroll number, meaning that, at least to open the season, Chicago is looking at a pretty drastic cut in that department, down to somehwere in the $210 million ballpark from approximately $240 million in 2024. That figure came in narrowly above the first competitive balance tax threshold, a move that's hard to understand even now.

Bellinger will make $27.5 million in 2025 - and the Cubs are on the hook for just $2.5 million of that salary. The team's biggest financial commitment since the move came in the form of right-hander Ryan Pressly, who came over from Houston via trade and will earn $14.5 million this year. Except the Astros also sent $5.5 million to Chicago in the deal, leaving Hoyer and the club picking up just $9 million in additional payroll.

Other than that, it's been fringe additions. That's not to say guys like Ryan Brasier or Jon Berti won't make an impact, because they could - but that's not what fans had in mind when the Cubs traded Bellinger to the Bronx. Missing out on Bregman is unfortunate, but the comments that have come out in the wake of that paint a clear picture: there might be in-season additions at the deadline if the team is contention, but don't hold your breath on anything else between now and Opening Day.