Cleveland Guardians Chances of Cody Bellinger Trade Skyrocket

The Cleveland Guardians chances of pulling off a trade for Cubs' star Cody Bellinger have skyrocketed.

Jun 12, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Cody Bellinger (24) reacts after hitting a three run home run in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. / Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians have been viewed as a potential trade suitor for Chicago Cubs star first baseman and outfielder Cody Bellinger.

Now, their chances of being able to pull off a trade with the Cubs have skyrocketed following a new report from one MLB insider.

As shared by Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Chicago president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has announced that the team will be focusing on the future. They won't be buyers at the deadline and instead will pivot to becoming sellers.

The Chicago Cubs announce the future is not now, but 2025 and beyond.
They move off the fence and become sellers at the trade deadline.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 22, 2024

Bellinger would be a massive pickup for a Guardians team that appears to be a potential World Series contender.

He would bring a bat capable of being elite, experience, and leadership. While he hasn't performed as well as he was expected to this season, he could turn it around at any given moment.

During the 2024 season so far, Bellinger has played in 79 games. He has hit nine home runs and driven in 37 RBI, while batting .269/.331/.410. They aren't the biggest numbers, but he has been productive.

From a contract perspective, Cleveland would need to view this move as a potential half-season rental. He has two years left on his contract, but has potential outs on both of those years.

Should things go well if the Guardians were to pull off a trade, they would have a good shot of re-signing Bellinger. He simply wants to be paid according to what he's capable of producing. Bellinger also wants to find a place to call home long-term.

It will be interesting to see what Cleveland chooses to do ahead of the July 30th deadline. Pursuing a trade for Bellinger would be a wise decision and it seems to be a very plausible idea with the new report about the direction the Cubs are heading.