Braves reportedly have trade interest in former MVP Cody Bellinger

The two obvious areas the Braves will look to upgrade at the trade deadline are the outfield and shortstop.

The latter of which may be difficult to do, but finding multiple outfielders shouldn’t be difficult at all. Alex Anthopoulos acquired four at the 2021 trade deadline that propelled the Braves to the World Series; I’d expect a similar approach this year.

None of Eddie Rosario, Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, or Adam Duvall were high-profile acquisitions, which has generally been Anthopoulos’ M.O., but it seems Atlanta’s GM is potentially searching for a blockbuster deal.

According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Braves, along with the Phillies and Mariners, have shown interest in Cody Bellinger. “They’ve also listened to teams such as the Phillies, Braves and Mariners who have interest in Cody Bellinger”

Bellinger was recently placed on the 10-day injured list after being struck in the hand, but Rosario was injured when Atlanta traded for him in 2021, so I wouldn’t think this finger injury changes Anthopoulos’ opinion.

The former MVP isn’t playing as well as he was last year, but he’s still slashing .269/.331/.410 with a 109 wRC+ with the ability to provide good defense in the outfield, filling the Braves biggest need.

The Cubs probably haven’t decided whether they’ll be sellers at the deadline. If they stumble out of the All-Star break, I imagine they’ll think long and hard about trading Bellinger.

What makes a trade for him so interesting is his contract. At the end of the year, Cody Bellinger has the option to opt out of his contract, taking a $2.5 million buyout or collect $27.5 million in 2025, with another $25 million option and a $5 million buyout in 2026.

Much of that hinges on how he finishes the 2024 campaign, but he could potentially fill a void for the Braves in 2025 because Ronald Acuna Jr. most likely won’t be playing in the outfield next season.

For a Braves club that likes certainty, that doesn’t seem like their cup of tea, but stipulations can also be put in place to protect themselves; Anthopoulos is usually a wizard with these sorts of things.

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Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire