2 different contract structures to get the Cubs to sign Cody Bellinger

After the Chicago Cubs signed Hector Neris to a one-year, $9MM deal with an option for 2025; it happened to put the Cubs in an excellent position to sign another key slugger this winter. Spotrac has the Cubs at $204.7MM heading into 2024, or just over $32MM under the first luxury tax tier. Cody Bellinger now becomes a perfect fit both for the team's needs and for the team financially.

Jed Hoyer has set this team up perfectly so that if they land Bellinger, they will only have to worry about going over the luxury tax at the trade deadline if they are competing. Depending on the player they take on at the deadline, they might even need to do that depending on what Bellinger's AAV looks like in year one.

Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, and Seiya Suzuki will reach free agency the same year after the 2026 season, which equates to 50.0M between just three players. Intelligent spending is an ideal way to keep your financial flexibility open long-term, but the Cubs already have plenty of it. That said, here are two contract structures the team can afford to reacquire Bellinger this winter.