Cody Bellinger is a former NL Rookie of the Year and MVP. That also doesn't mean that the Chicago Cubs weren't taking a bit of a risk on the outfielder when they signed him to a one-year, $17.5 million pact this past offseason.
Over the previous three seasons with the Dodgers, Bellinger played just 295 games while slashing a measly .203/.272/.376 over that same span. He looked like a shell of his former self in his final few years with Los Angeles.
But the Cubs' dice-roll has more than paid off.
Bellinger has been one of the bastions of Chicago's success this season, posting a .909 OPS, the third-best mark of his career behind only his ROTY and MVP seasons. And on Sunday, he cranked his 25th home run of the season as well. In doing so, he put his name among Cubs royalty -- and the enigmatic Javy Báez -- as one of only four players in franchise history with 25 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season.
Sammy Sosa, Ryne Sandberg and Báez are the only other three to hit those marks in a single year.
Cubs: Cody Bellinger joins Sosa, Sandberg, Báez with 25-HR, 20-SB season
Obviously, the Cubs are more than happy that their somewhat risky investment in the 2019 NL MVP has paid off. Bellinger, however, may be even more thankful about that.
Though the outfielder has a mutual option with Chicago for the 2024 season, he's unlikely to pick up his part of that and reenter free agency. After this rejuvenated campaign with the Cubs, he's likely to be considered (and paid like) the best position player available on the open market.
Chicago figures to be highly motivated and interested in a Bellinger return to the franchise, but they will have plenty of competition. Given the company that he just put his name among in Cubs history, though, they'd be out of their mind to let him out of the door.
