3 likely trade destinations for Chicago Cubs star Cody Bellinger

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After three of their first four games after the All-Star break amidst what should be a soft stretch in the schedule, the Chicago Cubs are poised to sell at the deadline for a third straight year. They have a lot of valuable pieces that teams should be eyeing over the next couple of weeks including ace pitcher Marcus Stroman. On the position side, however, Cody Bellinger is going to draw a lot of attention.

Bellinger has, for the most part, been back to his old ways ever since coming to the North Side. On the year, he has a .305/.360/.524 slash line in 62 games. That's good for a 136 wRC+ which would be the third-best mark of his career. Crucially, he's done it all while cutting back on strikeouts with only a 17.6% strikeout rate. His value should be especially high now, considering he's in the midst of a wild July with an almost comical slash line of .449/.481/.796. On top of that, his center-field defense is still excellent with 4 outs above average on the year.

He's been a dream come true for the Cubs and one who should things miraculously change, would be an excellent piece to have around long term. It's more likely, however, that he departs for greener pastures at the end of the month. Here are three of the best fits the team could find in a trade for the star outfielder.

#1: New York Yankees

However you feel about them, there's no arguing that the Bronx Bombers are a perfect match when it comes to a Bellinger trade. Sitting in last place in the American League East despite being 50-45, they're looking for that piece that could jump-start their offense. That could certainly be Bellinger who'd be a clear outfield upgrade for them while playing perfectly to the confines of Yankee Stadium with the short porch in right field.

The Cubs and Yankees have made stellar trade partners of late too, swapping Scott Effross and Hayden Wesneski just last year along with Anthony Rizzo and Kevin Alcantara the year prior. They still have a solid overall farm system too that could create an enticing return for Jed Hoyer should they seal the deal, albeit not an impact prospect. Names like Will Warren and Yoendrys Gómez represent the types of solid arms that are also close to the majors and could help this team sooner rather than three years down the road.

#2: Houston Astros

The other major team with reported interest, the Houston Astros could use some outfield help in their bid to catch the Texas Rangers. There's still no timetable for the return of Michael Brantley from shoulder surgery and their GM Dana Brown has expressed a need to acquire left-handed hitting for their lineup. Bellinger could easily slot into center field or even swap over to left with a group that includes Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers, and Kyle Tucker in the mix. Bellinger would also be a good fit to take the occasional start at first base.

Moreover, the Astros could possibly pursue a blockbuster deal with the Cubs that could send both Bellinger and Stroman given their interest in both. While they don't have as strong of a farm system as the Yankees, the pieces are there to put together a solid package. Outfielder Justin Dirden stands out as a potential target in the farm system with his lefty bat, but if they want to add to their pitching depth, Forrest Whitley would be a perfect fit. There's also lefthander Colton Gordon for another near-term arm worth consideration.

Trading Bellinger could be a win-win for both sides with some young, interesting, and controllable pieces coming to Chicago to give the World Series champs that extra boost.

#3: Cleveland Guardians

Although they're far from the contender that the Yankees and Astros are, the Guardians are still very much in the mix for their division. The thing that they really need to elevate themselves, however, is a little more thump in that lineup. As a team, they're currently hitting for 91 wRC+ and little of that is coming from their outfield setup. That's where the Cubs and Bellinger could come in with a lefty bat that could help elevate the team past the division-leading Twins.

Cleveland also boasts a solid farm system with plenty of choices for controllable players to pick from. Again, the Carter Hawkins connection may come in handy as they look to get the most value even if some of its best pieces have since made the jump to the majors like Bo Naylor and Gabriel Arias. Even the names outside of the top ten like slugger Jhonkensy Noel or lefty outfielder Petey Halpin could be valuable pick-ups as part of a deal.

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Keep in mind, as a rental, Bellinger isn't likely to bring some insane prospect package back to the Cubs on his own. Whatever the team does get, however, will be better than letting him walk in free agency for nothing. Ideally, an extension would be in order to keep Bellinger around for the long term, but that simply doesn't seem likely at this juncture given the team's place in the standings and all other factors at play.

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