Latest Cody Bellinger contract prediction would be great for the Chicago Cubs

If the Chicago Cubs are going to make a major free-agent signing this off-season, it would seem that Cody Bellinger would be the only option.

That's not to say that the Cubs will sign Bellinger. After missing out on Shohei Ohtani, the Toronto Blue Jays have been speculated to make a push for Bellinger and he may have been in Toronto this past weekend.

The issue with the Cubs' free agency habits is that president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer does not appear willing to move off his philosophy. This means that if the Blue Jays are willing to meet Bellinger's asking price, there likely would be no inclination for the Cubs to match the offer.

The latest Bellinger contract prediction may offer some hope for Cubs fans. Jim Bowden of The Athletic (Subscription Required) predicts that Bellinger will return to the Cubs on a seven-year deal worth $181MM.

That is exactly the type of deal that the Cubs would be looking to make with Bellinger.

What's important to remember is that the addition of Bellinger, while needed, does not represent an improvement from where the Cubs were at the end of the 2023 season. Bellinger gets the Cubs closer to where they were considering he was their best hitter last season but this is still a team that lost starting pitcher Marcus Stroman and third baseman Jeimer Candelario.

An off-season where Bellinger is the only significant move that the Cubs make is not a successful off-season. Cubs fans must remember, however, that it is only December 12 and there are still plenty of moves on the table that can lead the team to having a successful off-season.

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