Cody Bellinger Free Agency News: Insider lists 2 teams 'likeliest' to land star outfielder

Former league MVP Cody Bellinger is the next-best left-handed hitter in the market after Shohei Ohtani landed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After a couple of poor seasons, Bellinger bounced back last season and is now seeking a contract worth $200 million or more this offseason. Many insiders have suggested different landing destinations for Bellinger. As per Jon Heyman, Bellinger's last team, the Chicago Cubs, and the Toronto Blue Jays are the two 'likeliest' teams to land the player.

Both teams were among the frontrunners for Ohtani. If they were close to signing him, they could afford Bellinger's services. USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote that Toronto has 'emerged as favorite' while the Cubs are 'still in the hunt.'

According to The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney, the Cubs' president of baseball operations, Jed Hoyer, may not be prepared to pay that amount ($200 million) and may instead wait to see whether Bellinger "ends up falling to the Cubs on a more palatable deal."

It remains to be seen how his free agency materializes or if he goes to the Blue Jays with not much of a fight from the Chicago Cubs.

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Cody Bellinger's bounce-back 2023 MLB season

The two-time All-Star and former World Series champion, Cody Bellinger has seen it all in his career in a short span. He won the NL Rookie of the Year (2017) and two years later won the NL MVP honors.

However, following that, his worst seasons kicked off, as he hit below .250 before the Dodgers non-tendered him, rendering him a free agent after the 2022 season.

The Cubs signed him on a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2024. Cody Bellinger hit .307 in 130 games in 2023, with 153 hits, 26 home runs, 97 RBIs and 95 runs scored.

He was named the NL Comeback Player of the Year and received his second Silver Slugger award. Following an impressive season, Bellinger declined the mutual option and headed to free agency.