It took the entire offseason and almost two weeks into spring training, but the Cubs and Cody Bellinger have finally come together on a deal.
The center fielder and first baseman who earned National League Comeback Player of the Year honors after batting .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs and 97 RBI last season agreed to a three-year, $80 million deal early Sunday to return to the Cubs, per an ESPN report.
Bellinger will receive opt-outs after the first and second years of the agreement. He will receive a $30 million in 2024, $30 million in 2025 if he doesn’t opt out after the first year and $20 million in 2026 if he doesn’t opt out after the second year.
Bellinger was named NL Rookie of the Year with the Dodgers in 2017 and MVP in 2019, then batted .239, .165 and .201 from 2020-22, combing to hit 41 home runs in those three seasons after hitting 47 in 2019.
Bellinger, who is represented by agent Scott Boras, came to the Cubs on a $17.5 million deal and opted out of a $25 million option for 2024. As the offseason lingered into spring training, the market for Bellinger was limited, keeping the door open for a return to the Cubs, where Bellinger enjoyed playing.