National Insider provides important reminder for Cubs and Cody Bellinger

There is not going to be any change in the narrative that is the Chicago Cubs' pursuit of Cody Bellinger until one of two things happens; Bellinger signs with the Cubs, or his agent, Scott Boras, is able to successfully get another team to bite at his asking price.

It would seem that Boras is losing leverage against the Cubs. The San Francisco Giants signed Jorge Soler to a three-year deal on Monday and that likely will take them out of the running for Bellinger. Even if the Giants aren't fully out on Bellinger, their agreement with Soler likely is confirmation that they are not going to be paying north of $200MM for the 2023 National League Comeback Player of the Year.

All signs continue to point to the Cubs and Boras eventually finding common ground on a contract for Bellinger but Jim Bowden of The Athletic (Subscription Required) did offer an important reminder that Cubs fans shouldn't overlook.

"His first choice appears to be re-signing with Chicago, but the staredown in negotiations between Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and Bellinger’s agent, Boras, is shaping up to be epic. Hoyer has never been afraid to walk away from deals — just ask Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo."

Jim Bowden, The Athletic

Cubs' president Jed Hoyer is stubborn in his approach to running baseball operations. There have been very few instances where Hoyer has extended beyond his comfort zone in regard to a roster-related move and that is not going to change with Bellinger. This means that if Boras is adamant about his ask for Bellinger, the Cubs will not be the team that bites.

Hoyer would undoubtedly walk away from negotiations if there is no progress toward a deal for Bellinger. It would be a bold decision for Hoyer to take the Cubs out of the running for Bellinger but it's not like there hasn't been a payoff for similar bold decisions that he's made.

As Bowden mentioned, Hoyer was the one who said there are no half-measures and that is why he took a wrecking ball to the entire core of the 2016 World Series winning team at the 2021 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. For as controversial as that decision was for Hoyer, it has proven to be the right choice.

There is a scenario where the Cubs walking away from Bellinger can still work but the difference is, moving forward, the Cubs are facing the opening of their contention window and not the rebuilding window that opened at the trade deadline in 2021.

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