At $27.5 million, Cody Bellinger shouldn’t even be considered a trade target for the Braves. He had a decent season for the Cubs this year, hitting .266 with 18 homers and a .751 OPS, but that’s nowhere close to $27.5 million worth of production.
If Chicago wants to deal the former NL MVP, they will have to eat a large chunk of cash, probably at least $7.5 million and maybe even closer to $10 million. At around a $20 million price tag, Cody Bellinger becomes a much more intriguing trade target, especially considering he won’t cost next to anything in terms of prospects going back in return.
Braves Hypothetical Trade For Cody Bellinger
Braves Receive: Cody Bellinger, $10 million cash
Cubs Receive: Dylan Dodd
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This is essentially a pure salary dump for the Cubs, but I’m not really sure what else they could be expecting. Cody Bellinger has been a pillar of inconsistency since winning the MVP in 2019 and comes with a ton of risk because he also has a $25 million player option for 2026. That option is a lose/lose for whatever team acquires him because if Bellinger performs, he’ll opt out and sign a much more lucrative contract in free agency next offseason. If he doesn’t perform, he’ll opt in and the club will be paying a declining outfielder $25 million in 2026.
That alone may deter the Braves from even considering Bellinger. However, if the Cubs are willing to eat at least $10 million, it might be worth the gamble. Cody Bellinger is still just 29-years-old and is just a year removed from finishing 10th in the NL MVP race and accruing 4.4 WAR. It’s an intriguing idea, but it all depends on how much money the Cubs are willing to eat in the trade.
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Photo: Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire
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