Cody Bellinger chose the perfect time for a comeback; the Chicago Cubs signed him to a one-year, $5.5 million contract in 2023 following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ non-tendered 2019 NL MVP. And Bellinger tore the baseball’s cover off right away. As he returns to free agency, he is currently attracting a lot of interest, with the Toronto Blue Jays hoping to make a big impression after their other free-agent targets decided to sign with other teams.

The finances of the Cubs and Blue Jays both have plenty of space to accommodate Bellinger’s salary. The 28-year-old centerfielder is now free to choose which team to sign with when he becomes available. However, the rumour mill suggests that Bellinger’s return to Wrigley Field is still the “most likely” scenario.

Bellinger is still a reasonable addition to the Blue Jays. Bellinger’s return to Chicago seems to make the most sense, in my opinion. Bellinger is still a long way from the Cubs. On MLB Network’s Hot Stove programme, Jon Morosi stated, “I think that’s still the most likely destination for Cody Bellinger in the early months of 2024.”

Morosi believes that the Cubs are still the front-runners for Cody Bellinger’s services for a few reasons: other teams, including the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, have already signed key outfield acquisitions for the upcoming season in Juan Soto and Jung-Hoo Lee, respectively. In the meantime, the Blue Jays have added Kevin Kiermaier to their roster, providing them with a centerfielder who can play every day.