By the end of April, the Chicago Cubs were firmly in contention with an 18-13 record. The past two months have erased that, as they went a combined 21-34 between May and June. Instead of preparing to buy, rumors are swirling that they could be sellers at the July 30 trade deadline. Center fielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger is seeing his name churn through the rumor mill.
If the Cubs decide to trade him, where could he end up? Would the Philadelphia Phillies be a legitimate destination for the 2019 National League MVP Award winner? Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer ranked 10 potential landing spots for the left-handed slugger. He placed the Phillies second and cooked up this hypothetical trade:
Phillies receive: centerfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger
Cubs receive: catcher Eduardo Tait
Tait is the Phillies’ eighth-best prospect this season, according to MLB.com. He’s still far away from reaching the majors. Tait is 17 years old and currently playing Rookie Ball.
However, the Cubs probably won’t have much leverage in trade talks because of Bellinger’s contract. He’s making $30 million in 2024 after signing a three-year, $80 million deal this past offseason. Bellinger can opt-out following 2024 and 2025 if he desires. So, there’s a good chance the Scott Boras client will be seen as a half-season rental by interested teams.
Bellinger Would Give the Phillies a Versatile Upgrade
Although Bellinger’s start to 2024 hasn’t been quite as good as his resurgent 2023 campaign, it’d still be a huge boost for the Phillies. The 28-year-old is hitting .267/.327/.416 with nine home runs, 13 doubles, 34 RBI and 34 runs scored through 309 plate appearances.
As a squad, Philly center fielders have slashed .234/.289/.318 with four homers, 28 RBI and 36 runs scored this season. According to FanGraphs, the 0.9 fWAR they’ve received from that position ranks 17th in baseball.
The Phillies’ current roster situation also makes the hypothetical acquisition of Bellinger even more tempting. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (strained groin) and first baseman Bryce Harper (hamstring strain) are on the injured list. That forced Kody Clemens and Whit Merrifield into more playing time at first base and the outfield.
Bringing Bellinger into the mix would give Phillies manager Rob Thomson more flexibility on a nightly basis when making his lineup. Although Bellinger has played 42 games in center field this year, he’s also appeared at first base 13 times, right field 12 times, designated hitter 10 times and left field once.
The Phillies Were Connected to Bellinger This Past Winter
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski didn’t make any huge winter splashes (outside of re-signing pitcher Aaron Nola). The possibility was there in February, though.
Bellinger and Boras were searching for a long-term deal of at least $200 million. It ultimately never materialized before he re-signed with the Cubs in February shortly after spring training began.
Before that happened, the Phillies were seen as a potential “sleeper” for his services, per a February 4 report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
“Several executives think the Philadelphia Phillies could be a sleeper for one of the remaining marquee free agents in starter Jordan Montgomery or center fielder Cody Bellinger,” he said. “Their lone big move has been re-signing Aaron Nola, and Bellinger certainly would provide Gold Glove-caliber defense and another bat to balance the lineup.”
So, it appears there has been previous interest in Bellinger from Philly. The club is looking to get over the hump and return to the World Series this October. Finding a way to bring the left-handed slugger to the City of Brotherly Love would likely help those chances without making a long-term financial commitment.
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