Houston Astros Named Good Trade Partner with Chicago Cubs for Cody Bellinger

The Houston Astros were recently named as a good trade partner for Cody Bellinger of the Chicago Cubs
Sep 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Cody Bellinger (24) hits an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park.
Sep 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Cody Bellinger (24) hits an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
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The Houston Astros are getting set for the Winter Meetings with a couple of big decisions still looming for the franchise. 

So far this offseason, the Astros have been relatively quiet. Yusei Kikuchi signed a lucrative deal with the Los Angeles Angels very early in free agency, as he turned a great second half of the season into a really nice deal for himself. 

The big question for Houston this offseason will be what happens to third baseman Alex Bregman. While it is early in the free agency process and most of the top free agents seem to be waiting for Juan Soto to sign somewhere, Bregman has been a big part of the success of the Astros for years. 

However, while the team would surely like to have him back, they have a couple of key free agents coming up next offseason, and this core is getting older.

Recently, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com spoke about Houston being a great fit for Chicago Cubs slugger, Cody Bellinger. 

“The Astros are in a tough spot. Alex Bregman is a free agent and Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez and Ryan Pressly are all set to hit free agency next winter. Does GM Dana Brown try to keep the band together and sign/extend most of these players, or does he try to pivot, diversify and get a bit younger in the process? The farm system isn't offering a ton of help, the core is getting older and Houston doesn't have unlimited payroll space. Taking Bellinger with his positional versatility and 1+1 contract allows for some creativity in solving these problems -- and he wouldn't cost much in terms of prospects.”

Adding Bellinger would be a very interesting and potentially smart move for the Astros. Due to his contract being on the shorter end, he would provide them with the potential to move on in a year or two while receiving some good production to help them continue to win-now. 

Since Houston has a couple of bad contracts on the books for 2025, like Jose Abreu, finding some flexibility in their payroll will be important. The Astros don’t have the same bottomless pockets as a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers, as they are going to have to be shrewd if they want to continue to sustain success. 

Bellinger is an All-Star caliber player and could play in the outfield or at first base, which are both needs for Houston currently. Depending on the Bregman situation, pivoting to a trade for a player like the left-handed slugger could make a lot of sense. 


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