Chicago Cubs Predicted to Pursue New York Mets Slugger If Cody Bellinger Leaves

Is Pete Alonso a good replacement for the Chicago Cubs if they lose Cody Bellinger?

Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first base Pete Alonso (20) hits a single in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are heading into the offseason looking to improve on what was a solid 2024 campaign.

While the Cubs did finish over .500 mark last season, they didn’t reach the postseason in the extremely competitive National League.

Despite really not being in the playoff picture, there was a lot of positives to take away from this Chicago team. There is a lot of young talent that the organization is building around, and they also have been willing to spend money.

This offseason, the Cubs are going to play a factor in free agency, as they seemingly have a desire to improve their bullpen and their lineup. Fortunately, the starting rotation is pretty set going into 2025, as they likely only need one more arm.

While addressing the bullpen should be the top priority, adding some offensive power would be helpful as well.

With the offseason approaching, a lot of what Chicago will do will depend on what Cody Bellinger decides to do with his large player option. After a so-so season in 2024, it’s hard to predict what Bellinger will do, but he will more than likely test free agency, as he should be able to get a somewhat substantial contract.

Recently, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report spoke about the Cubs potential pursuing Pete Alonso if Bellinger elects to decline his player option and test free agency.

"The Cubs probably won't get that carried away, especially if Cody Bellinger returns on his $27.5M player option. If he leaves, though, they'll be very much in the mix for Alonso at around $200M."

For Chicago, Bellinger opting out could benefit the team, as he wasn’t worth $27 million based on his production last season. If the Cubs reallocated that money to a player like Alonso, they would instantly be improving an area of need in the power department with one of the best power hitters in baseball.

Over the last three years, Alonso has totaled 120 home runs for the New York Mets. He is likely set to receive a massive contract, and if Bellinger opted in at over $25 million for next year, it’s hard to imagine that they would also pursue Alonso.

Once their slugger makes the decision regarding his option, the offseason will really begin for Chicago. Even though the lefty is a solid player, Alonso would likely have a much bigger impact for the team with his ability to hit home runs.