Could the Chicago Cubs trade Bellinger to the A's?

Jason Burke | 15 Hours Ago

Sep 9, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Cody Bellinger (24) hits a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

According to Ken Rosenthal in The Athletic, the Chicago Cubs are looking to trade Cody Bellinger and his contract, which is set to pay him $27.5 million in 2025, and then either a $5 million buyout, or another $27.5 million for 2026. The A's, who are having a hard time adding to their roster, could be a fit.

The big question here is what kind of a return the Cubs are looking for, and if they're looking to pay down a little bit of that contract in order to get a better group of prospects back.

Bellinger was a 2.2 fWAR player in 2024 and posted a 109 wRC+ (100 is league average), so he's still a solid player and would represent an upgrade to the A's roster, even in a down year. That said, the fact that he could opt out after one season would have to worry the front office, given that the Athletics will be playing at Sutter Health Park, a Triple-A facility, for the next three to four seasons.

Still, having Bellinger for one year, especially in that first year in Sacramento, could be a big deal for a club that has lacked superstars in recent years. Bellinger certainly has name recognition if nothing else, and that means butts in seats.

There's also the fact that Bellinger can play all three outfield positions as well as first base, and grades out at least league average if not slightly above at all four positions. Improving the team's defense is another goal for the A's front office this offseason, and Bellinger just so happens to fit that role as well.

If the Cubs want to move that contract with the possibility that he'll walk away after a year, the best way to make it worthwhile for the opposing team, in this case the A's, is to add in a prospect or two that will be around for awhile. It doesn't have to be a top-10 guy, but one or two players in the back half of the top-30 would be a nice addition to the trade talks. Someone like No. 18 Jack Neely, a relief pitcher that has two options remaining but could be ready to contribute in 2025 could be of interest to the A's.

The main part of the return headed back to Chicago would be financial flexibility, though they'd probably want a player or two back as well. The Athletics have a number of relief options that could bolster the bullpen in Chicago, like Hogan Harris, Dany Jiménez, or Michael Kelly as part of the return package.

All three have some flaws, but have shown that they can be effective at the big-league level. Kelly's flaw is that he's suspended until midseason after getting caught betting. Jiménez is hurt somewhat often, and Harris' FIP (4.23) was well above his ERA (2.86) in 2024.

The A's won't want to send back a big piece of the roster in this deal, but they have a good crop of prospect depth that the Cubs can comb through. Whether Chicago is looking for pieces for 2025 or beyond would influence what type of prospect package they'd be receiving.