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Chicago Cubs News: Cody Bellinger speaks on 2023 MLB Trade Deadline
Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger is aware that his name may come up in trade rumors ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline.
Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger hit his first home run since April during the team's 6-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday and for Bellinger, he remains hot since being activated from the injured list last month.
Since returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for over a month, Bellinger is slashing .359/.386/.469 with a wRC+ of 128.
For Bellinger, as it simple as it may seem, he has emphasized making contact and that has paved the way for his comback season offensively. Through 233 plate appearances this season, Bellinger is slashing .298/.352/.486 with a wRC+ of 123. Bellinger has 8 home runs on the season and it would seem that his power is returning as his knee returns to complete health.
With Thursday's loss to the Brewers, it would appear that the Cubs on the verge of being full sellers ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. The Cubs are six games under the .500 mark on the season and 8 games out of first place in the National League Central division.
With that in mind, Bellinger is in a position where he may be among the most coveted position players at the deadline. Bellinger is aware of that fact but hoping to remain with the Cubs.
Cody Bellinger on trade deadline: "I definitely know what is possible. But I like being here, focusing on helping this team win while I am here. Hopefully, we can get on a little roll and stay together. We have a really good group here. I still have confidence in the whole group"
— Ryan Herrera (@ryan_a_herrera) July 6, 2023
Unlike with starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, where if the Cubs become sellers, the best course would be a trade of the All-Star starting pitcher, the team may want to consider re-signing Bellinger to a contract extension as opposed to trading him at the deadline.
There have been clear signs that Bellinger is returning to being the offensive force that he once was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. For a Cubs team that has seen right fielder Seiya Suzuki failed to take the next step in his offensive development, the North Siders should reconsider the idea they had at the beginning of the season of Bellinger being a temporary stopgap in the outfield.
The Cubs are at the tail-end of their rebuild with 2024 being the season where they plan on contending. Meaning, there shouldn't be a need for the team to trade every piece they have at the deadline for a lottery ticket.
The fact of the matter is that if the Cubs trade Bellinger, the very thing they are looking for this season would be a left-handed power hitter that is aligned with their run-prevention model. News flash, that is Bellinger.
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