Chicago Cubs Bellinger is the Surprise Star of the Early 2023 Season

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger is making waves as the team sits third in the hot National League Central.

Regina Ham | May 10, 2023

Chicago Cubs Bellinger is the Surprise Star of the Early 2023 Season /

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When the Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger inked his one-year, $17.5 million contract in the offseason, no one expected him to return to near-MVP form.

Except that's what fans and coaches of the Cubs are starting to see.

There was the expectation that Bellinger would be a nice holding spot until top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong was ready to take his place in the outfield. That plan might be on hold as early returns are trending in an upward direction.

In his 127 at-bats, he's slugging .291/.366/.543 with 7 home runs, 19 RBIs, and 28 runs. These are not shabby numbers for the former Los Angeles Dodgers star.

Even on Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins, he went 2-for-5 with a double, a walk an RBI, a run scored, and two stolen bases. It made his third multi-hit effort in the past six games for the Cubs.

His RBI-double and score in the ninth inning tied the game up at 2-2. Bellinger has earned the potential to be the needed plus-bat, plus-glove that Chicago will need in their competition division.

Bellinger is a high-caliber offensive player that can easily play Gold Glove defense in the outfield. That led him to being named the 2019 National League Most Valuable Player award. Talent is certain from him but he has dealt with injuries in the past two seasons that left him underperforming and many with questions about sustained health.

There was also no hint that Bellinger would be able to be so productive for a Cubs squad that also added shortstop Dansby Swanson during the offseason.

And with such production through 36 games, many wonder if he able to keep up this performance through the rest of the 162-game schedule. And if he can, is it worth extending his contract to a multi-year deal?

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Published May 10, 2023

REGINA HAM

Regina Ham is an editor and writer for Inside the Cubs. As an alumna of the University of Maryland-College Park, she studied both broadcast and multimedia journalism. A six-year veteran of the sports industry, she's worked in radio, television, and online media. You can follow her on Twitter @regina_ham or Instagram @reginamariesports. Upon her undergraduate education, Regina went to work in 2016 for Sirius XM-Satellite Radio on College Sports Nation/ESPNU for two years. During her time in school, Regina interned at a variety of Washington, D.C.-area media organizations, including NBC Sports Washington and WTOP. There she assisted in coverage of local MLB and NHL teams. She also interned down at WAAY 31 in Huntsville, AL and worked on stories regarding the local Minor League Baseball affiliate and SEC football. Regina worked in international sports television for almost four years, covering sports from MLS to the KHL and the KBO. She joined Philly Sports Network in 2022 and covers both the Phillies and Philadelphia Flyers before joining the Sports Illustrated network in 2023. You can follow her on Twitter @Regina_ham or on Instagram @reginamariesports. If you have any questions or comments, she can be reached at regina.ham28@gmail.com.