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With the Chicago Cubs season officially over, there is now a full-season sample size for Cody Bellinger ahead of making the decision
In 569 plate appearances this season, Bellinger slashed .266/.325/.426 with a 109 wRC+. Above all else, Bellinger proved in 2024 that his contact-first approach is sustainable.
The issue with that proof is that it came at the expense of Bellinger's power. Bellinger had 18 home runs this season with an isolated power rating of .161. A steep regression from the .218 mark that Bellinger had during the 2023 season when he won National League Comeback Player of the Year award honors.
While Scott Boras seems to already be willing to play up Wrigley Field's park fact as the reason for Bellinger's power decline in 2024, Major League Baseball teams are willing to use any reason for validation of why they shouldn't pay a player. Considering Bellinger wasn't able to land a lucrative long-term deal after 2023, chances are there won't be such an offer this offseason either.
That is the heart of the debate when it comes to Bellinger's option. If Bellinger doesn't opt out, he is owed $27.5MM for the 2025 season. It seems unlikely that he will be able to top that mark if he were to hit free agency.
When is Cody Bellinger's contract decision due?
The deadline by which players and teams must make option decisions for the 2025 season arrives just five days after the conclusion of the World Series. If the World Series goes the distance, Game 7 would be on November 2. This would place Bellinger's contract decision due by November 7. It's always possible that Bellinger will reach a decision before then but given Boras, it's likely something that will be taken right up until the deadline.
The trend still seems to be that Bellinger will indeed be back with the Cubs in 2025. It's a decision that not only would financially limit what the Cubs will be able to do this offseason but also limit the positional flexibility of the team's roster as a whole.