5 Teams That Are Perfect Cody Bellinger Trade Fits

At the start of this year, the Chicago Cubs held their annual fan event — Cubs Convention — at the city’s Sheraton Grand, and if team chairman Tom Ricketts somehow went into the event unsure of how fans felt about slugger Cody Bellinger, it likely didn’t take him long to work it out. Chants of “Cody! Cody!” rang out from the crowd every time Ricketts or president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer took the stage, urging the Cubs brass to re-sign the first baseman who’d been a game-changer during the 2023 season.

After what felt like an eternity for Chicago fans, the Cubs re-signed Bellinger to a three-year, $80 million deal, with opt-outs after each of the first two seasons, on February 27. The move not only bolstered the team’s batting lineup for 2025, but sent a clear signal to the fanbase that the front office was taking the Cubs’ contention window seriously.

It didn’t exactly work out that way — at least not for the Cubs, who finished the 2024 season with a mediocre 83-79 record. Bellinger still performed relatively well, slashing .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs and 78 RBI in 516 at-bats, and while his numbers weren’t anywhere near as impressive as they were in his 2023 comeback season, the first baseman/outfielder still ranked third on the team in batting average and second in RBI.

Now, the Cubs are looking to upgrade their roster for 2025, and in order to free up payroll, they’re “determined” to move either Bellinger or outfielder Seiya Suzuki this winter, per New York Post’s Joel Sherman. With that in mind, here are five teams who are likely to target Bellinger in a trade this offseason.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners need offensive help and an infielder before Opening Day 2025, and while they’re yet to make a move this winter, they’re almost certain to break into the trade market over the next few weeks — so long as all moves fit within their strict self-imposed budget.

On December 8, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale urged the Mariners to go after Bellinger this winter, especially if they can get the Cubs to eat some of his salary.

“The Cubs would love to dump the contract, even for a lesser return, but they’re finding precious little interest,” Nightengale wrote. “Still, there’s got to be a team out there that is willing to bite the bullet on the cash, and realize he’ll be a significant upgrade. We’re talking about you, Mariners and Yankees.”

Before Bellinger re-signed with the Cubs last offseason, he was briefly linked to the Mariners in free agency, so it makes sense that Seattle would still be interested in his services now. With a number of holes across their infield, Bellinger would be an upgrade at first base, as well as a strong defender to match with Luke Raley as he develops.

The Mariners have floated the idea of trading from their rotation to secure offensive help this winter, including listening to offers on Luis Castillo, which could push the Cubs in their direction. While the Cubs aren’t actively in the market for a starter — especially after signing Matthew Boyd to a two-year, $29 million deal on December 7 — they’re still open to adding another one, according to The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma, and putting a star like Castillo on their staff would give them one of the deepest rotations in MLB.

New York Yankees

After being beaten out by their crosstown rival in the fight to sign Juan Soto, the Yankees need a backup plan, and Bellinger could be exactly that. On December 7, Nightengale urged the Yankees to go after Bellinger on the trade market, and since he’s one of the strongest bats available, maybe a reunion between the outfielder and starter Marcus Stroman — who New York signed out of free agency last winter after he made his name as Chicago’s ace — is on the horizon.

Going into 2025, the Yankees need an outfielder and a first baseman — both positions played by Bellinger. In fact, CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa wrote on December 9 that “getting a big first-base bat is the single biggest roster upgrade the Yankees can realistically make this offseason,” while commenting that adding another outfielder would allow superstar Aaron Judge to stay in his natural right field.

The Yankees are coming off a very strong 2024 season where they took home the franchise’s first AL Championship in 15 years, and regardless of where they utilize Bellinger, trading for him would be a big move to keep that momentum going.

“The Yankees have been connected to Bellinger frequently the last year or so and, on paper, he fits their Soto-less roster well,” Axisa wrote. “He can play center field and first base, he’s a lefty bat, and he adds some much needed athleticism and baserunning. Bellinger is owed $27.5 million in 2025, with a $5 million buyout for 2026, so perhaps that means you won’t have to give up much talent to get him. It’s worth a call at this point.”

Houston Astros

On December 5, 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine reported that the Astros had “checked in with the Cubs about a Bellinger trade,” adding that he expects “discussions around Bellinger will gain more traction” after Soto signs to a new team. The news is hardly surprising considering Houston’s current need for an everyday first baseman, and Bellinger would naturally be a top target on the trade market.

The Astros started 2024 with José Abreu on first base, but after he batted .099 over 77 plate appearances with three RBI, he was sent down to the minors on April 30. Abreu returned to Houston on May 27 but continued to struggle at the plate, leading the Astros to release him on June 14. With no clear option as an everyday first baseman, the Astros utilized Jon Singleton, Zach Dezenzo, and Aledmys Diaz to get through the remainder of 2024, but going into next season, finding a high-end solution either via trade or free agency is a top priority.

On December 9, The Athletic’s Chandler Rome reported that to support their roster retooling, the Astros were listening to trade offers on star outfielder Kyle Tucker, with general manager Dana Brown even commenting “we’ll listen on anybody.”

“We’re not trying to aggressively move anybody out the door, but if someone wants to talk, that’s part of being at the Winter Meetings,” Brown told Rome. “Sometimes guys will think outside the box and say, ‘Hey would you guys do this guy or that guy.’ If it doesn’t make sense, we wouldn’t do it. It would really have to make sense.”

Well, looking at Houston’s needs before Opening Day, one thing is clear — trading for Bellinger would definitely make sense.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks have already tried to make a trade with Bellinger work this winter, according to Nightengale, but didn’t pull it off.

“The Diamondbacks are shopping [pitcher Jordan Montgomery] everywhere,” Nightengale wrote on December 8. “They tried to get the Cubs interested in a swap for Bellinger. So far, they’re striking out, but considering the soaring price of pitching, and the brilliance he showed on the Texas Rangers’ World Series championship team, there’s a better shot of snow flurries in Phoenix next summer than Montgomery wearing a D-backs uniform.”

Considering the Cubs’ need for pitching — particularly in the bullpen, but they’ve also shown interest in adding another starter — they may revisit the Diamondbacks’ Montgomery offer later in the winter, especially if negotiations stall with other teams.

After posting a 3.20 ERA with 166 strikeouts in 32 starts during the 2023 season, Montgomery was one of the top free agent starters available last offseason, but the World Series champion struggled this year. In his first season with the Diamondbacks, Montgomery was moved to the bullpen after accumulating a 6.44 ERA across 19 starts.

The Cubs have been known to take on a rehab project — Bellinger came to them on a one-year “prove-it” deal after a very underwhelming stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he promptly won NL Comeback Player of the Year. Acquiring Montgomery would be risky, but if the 31-year-old can return even anything close to the form he displayed just a year ago, the Cubs will have addressed a big hole in their roster.

For Arizona, the need for Bellinger is obvious. Not only do the team need offensive help after losing Christian Walker, Joc Pederson, and Randal Grichuk to free agency this winter, but they’re also looking for a replacement for Walker at first base. If the Diamondbacks can convince the Cubs to reconsider swapping Bellinger for Montgomery, both teams could walk away with their urgent offseason needs addressed.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates managing to pull off a trade for Cody Bellinger feels a bit ambitious, but with the team on the way up due to their fierce pitching staff led by Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, and Mitch Keller, perhaps change is on the way.

While Pittsburgh’s rotation is thriving, the rest of their roster could use some attention, particularly at the plate. Not a single Pirates player reached the 25-homer mark in 2024, and the team’s combined .672 OPS ranked 27th in MLB. Add the fact that their biggest problem area was the outfield and the Pirates’ interest in Bellinger is clear.

With the Cubs looking to add pitching depth, the Pirates could be a perfect trade partner. One thing Pittsburgh has a lot of is pitching, and right-hander Braxton Ashcraft is likely to be one of their multiple impressive prospects considered to headline a trade package. MLB.com lists Ashcraft as the No. 4 prospect in the Pirates’ system with a 2025 ETA.

Even after landing Spencer Horwitz, who will become Pittsburgh’s primary first baseman in 2025, there’s still a glaring need for a player of Bellinger’s caliber to take over in the outfield. His ability to play all three positions out in the grass makes him an attractive asset for a team that could use him on both sides of the ball.