Sources: Bellinger, Cubs reach 1-yr., $17.5M deal

Outfielder Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs are successful statement connected a one-year, $17.5 cardinal contract, sources acquainted with the woody told ESPN's Jeff Passan connected Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Bellinger continued to supply Gold Glove-caliber defence successful halfway tract for the Los Angeles Dodgers past season, successful summation to positive velocity connected the bases, but helium continued to conflict offensively.

He was named the National League's Most Valuable Player aft a 2019 play successful which helium batted .305/.406/.629 with 47 location runs, 115 RBIs and 15 stolen bases portion being worthy 7.7 FanGraphs wins supra replacement. Since then, though, Bellinger has batted conscionable .203/.272/.376 implicit a agelong of 295 regular-season games. His .648 OPS from 2020 to 2022 ranked 299th retired of the 338 qualified hitters during that stretch.

"He's a truly bully acceptable from a position of it is large defense, large basal running, left-handed bat with the imaginable to person an uptick offensively," Cubs manager David Ross said Tuesday from the wintertime meetings.

Bellinger ventured into the escaped cause marketplace a twelvemonth aboriginal aft helium was non-tendered by the Dodgers pursuing the 2022 season. He had been owed to marque successful the vicinity of $18 cardinal successful 2023.

The Cubs are attempting a speedy retooling of their roster aft saying goodbye to stars Kyle Schwarber, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez successful caller years. Bellinger provides them a coagulated mitt successful halfway portion helium attempts to recoup his worth astatine the plate.

He's apt viewed arsenic a placeholder for imaginable Pete Crow-Armstrong -- the subordinate they got from the New York Mets for Baez successful 2021. If the Cubs tract a contending team, Bellinger could assistance them instrumentality to the postseason for the archetypal clip since 2018. If they conflict -- and Bellinger is performing -- helium could beryllium traded astatine the July deadline arsenic the squad makes mode for Crow-Armstrong. If helium continues to struggle, the Cubs volition person wasted $17.5 cardinal -- but astatine slightest it would beryllium for conscionable 1 season.

Earlier connected Tuesday, Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, said helium was fielding multiyear offers for Bellinger but wanted a one-year woody truthful helium could reenter escaped bureau aft the 2023 season, hopefully aft a amended show than successful caller seasons.

Bellinger's batting mean plummeted to .165 successful 2021. Last play helium deed .210 with 19 location runs successful 144 games for a Dodgers squad that acceptable a franchise grounds with 111 wins.

In six MLB seasons, each with Los Angeles, Bellinger has a vocation .248 batting mean with 152 location runs, 422 RBIs and 62 stolen bases. The two-time All-Star enactment was NL Rookie of the Year successful 2017 and NLCS MVP successful 2018, and won a World Series ringing successful 2020.