There was a time where this outfielder was on the Braves radar, and now he might not be on anybody’s.
The Atlanta Braves apparently had interest in Cody Bellinger at one point. They looked into his services around the trade deadline. However, it appears that their interest has decreased slightly.
This might be the situation across the entire league.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today stated on Monday that “the worst-kept secret at the GM meetings was the Cubs offering Bellinger to anyone and everyone.” So far, no team has shown considerable interest.”
Teams, including the Braves, are apprehensive because there is a great probability that this transaction will result in a significant overpayment.
“Come on, who’s going to touch that contract?” one general manager said according to Nightengale’s recent story, “The risk is just too large for the production.”
For all we know, the unnamed GM who stated this was Alex Anthopoulos. After having multiple players have poor seasons at the plate in 2024, let alone the injured one, he may not want to risk utilizing his payroll in this manner.
Bellinger will earn $27.5 million in 2025, with a player option worth $25 million in 2026.
If the Braves knew they’d get the version of Bellinger in 2023, a deal would be worthwhile. They’d probably have to outbid other teams. That season, the 2019 National League MVP slashed.307/.356/.525 with 26 homers and 97 RBI.
However, the Bellinger we saw in 2024 explains why teams are wary. He slashed.266/.325/.426 with 18 homers and 78 RBI. This is still solid output, and if the Cubs absorb a significant portion of the salary, it could be worthwhile for the Braves.
While I’ve previously proposed scenarios in which the Braves assume the entire compensation, it now appears implausible – and it’s probably the right decision after further study. Any trade must include Chicago’s retained salary.
That’s not to say he couldn’t be a valuable addition to the lineup under the right circumstances.
I recently remarked that he hits good in Atlanta. Bellinger has slashed in the 22 games played at Truist Park.287/.347/.448 with four homers and nine RBI. That equates to around 14 home runs and 33 RBIs across 81 home games. This is only five less home runs than Marcell Ozuna had last season, and four fewer RBIs than Matt Olson.
These are numbers that would be very appreciated. However, it’s all about the money here. The Braves convinced the Red Sox to keep a significant amount of Chris Sale’s compensation in his trade, so history may repeat again.
However, the Cubs are currently in desperate need of a salary dump. The Red Sox saw an opening to obtain something for an injured Sale and took it. The Cubs may believe that if they are already paying the outfielder with a high ceiling, they should keep him. It’s difficult to condemn them for that if this is the case, especially when the Red Sox paid Sale to win the Cy Young elsewhere.
So, unless that changes, the idea of Bellinger wearing a Braves uniform is probably a ship that has sailed.
