Chicago Cubs Free Agent Viewed As Potential Juan Soto Replacement for Yankees

The Chicago Cubs potential free agent would fit in well with the New York Yankees.

Oct 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) makes the final out during the tenth inning to beat the Cleveland Guardians during game five of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. / David Richard-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs will monitor the New York Yankees this winter, hoping to bid on Juan Soto.

No matter what the Cubs do in free agency, they should at least give a call to Scott Boras, as signing Soto could change the direction of this franchise. 

There are reasons to sign Soto and reasons to avoid him.

For one, there's no questioning the type of player he is. When it matters most, there's a strong argument that the left-hander is the best hitter in Major League Baseball. However, for a Chicago team that needs as much help offensively as it does, adding one bat might not solve all of their issues. 

From the Yankees' perspective, losing Soto would be the worst outcome, as their lineup would look drastically different in 2025. No player would be as good as the superstar, so losing him would be an issue.

However, if they lose the Dominican Republic native, they could be interested in signing a potential Cubs free agent. 

Michael Brakebill of FanSided pointed out the idea of New York signing Cody Bellinger if he opted out of his deal.

"The Yankees wanted to trade for Cody Bellinger in 2023, but the Cubs ultimately decided to keep him. Now, they may have a chance to land him in free agency if he opts out of his deal with the Chicago and, of course, if the Yankees miss out on Soto. The main obstacle standing in the way is that Bellinger likely won't find a better deal than what he has right now, given that his second prove-it season didn't work out as well as his first... This is more of a name worth mentioning, as Cashman will want to keep him on his radar, but personally, I don't see Bellinger testing the market this winter."

Bellinger would be an intriguing fit for the Yankees. If New York wants to swap places and Chicago gets Soto because of it, the fan base and Jed Hoyer would likely have a big smile.

There could be a scenario where Bellinger ends up with the Yankees even if they sign Soto to a long-term deal in the winter. He could play first base, and with some of the issues New York has faced at the position, it'd be an intriguing fit.

Regarding Bellinger's potential future with the Cubs organization, it remains uncertain whether he plans to opt out of his deal as of the end of October.