5 key questions about Bellinger’s market

What can we anticipate within the coming days (weeks? months?) for Bellinger’s free company? Let’s have a look, with 5 questions and solutions:

As we stand right here within the third week of December, what groups are nonetheless “in” on Bellinger?

It’s troublesome to challenge the variety of groups which can be nonetheless in play for Bellinger, however the Blue Jays and Cubs seem like the 2 favorites for his providers.

The Cubs have been the beneficiaries of Bellinger’s rebound season in 2023, and if Chicago watches him signal elsewhere, it must discover a appropriate substitute for his bat within the lineup. His defensive versatility can be a plus for the Cubs, who used him extensively at each first base and middle subject final season.

Pete Crow-Armstrong is predicted to be a fixture in Chicago sooner or later in 2024, so Bellinger’s return would give the Cubs an opportunity to tempo Crow-Armstrong’s improvement – after which shift Bellinger to first base as soon as the prospect arrives to say middle subject.

All of that stated, the Blue Jays nonetheless really feel just like the favorites right here. Toronto took an enormous swing on Ohtani, so we all know the Jays have the cash to signal Bellinger, who’s believed to be searching for a deal nicely north of $200 million.

With Daulton Varsho in left subject and George Springer in proper, the Blue Jays may use Bellinger in middle, whereas additionally enjoying him sometimes at first base with a purpose to give Vladimir Guerrero Jr. some days at DH.

Two of Bellinger’s early suitors have already got added outfielders, doubtlessly taking themselves out of the working. The Yankees, who’ve added Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham through trades, are now not within the combine for Bellinger. Yet the Giants, who signed Jung Hoo Lee, may nonetheless make a run at him. And talking of San Francisco …

What impact does the Giants signing Lee have on Bellinger’s market? It nonetheless looks like there’s a match there given the Giants’ want for high-end expertise.

Even with Lee, Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto penciled in as their beginning outfield, the Giants may nonetheless use Bellinger, who may rotate between first base and the outfield, permitting supervisor Bob Melvin to make use of a number of gamers within the DH spot.

But the Giants – who gave Lee $113 million – are in dire want of rotation assist. With high-end starters reminiscent of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery nonetheless out there in free company, San Francisco may decide to make use of its monetary wherewithal to pursue them earlier than writing an enormous examine to Bellinger.

In the previous, agent Scott Boras has been identified to advise his shoppers to carry out into Spring Training to try to discover the very best deal. Are we on the level the place we predict that could be a risk for Bellinger?

No. Not but, anyway. We’ve seen loads of Boras’ high-profile shoppers wait till January, February and even later earlier than signing free-agent offers, essentially the most well-known of which was Bryce Harper within the 2018-19 offseason.

But when Boras will get the deal he’s searching for, he’s been greater than keen to information his shoppers towards a pre-holiday signing. Just one yr after Harper’s free company dragged into late February, Boras shoppers Stephen Strasburg, Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon signed on back-to-back-to-back days throughout December’s Winter Meetings, getting a complete of $814 million between them.

Bellinger’s market has been sluggish, however then once more, many different free brokers have been in the identical boat because the baseball world waited for Ohtani to signal and now waits for Yamamoto to do the identical. Once Yamamoto decides the place he needs to signal, the marketplace for different high-profile free brokers – led by Bellinger – ought to start to choose up velocity.

Of course, if Bellinger and Boras aren’t discovering the kind of deal they’re searching for, we may discover ourselves answering extra questions on his free company a month from now – possibly even two months.

Bellinger’s capability to play middle subject is one in every of his finest belongings as a free agent, however does his expertise at first base increase his market all?

Absolutely. One of essentially the most fascinating traits a participant can have lately is versatility, and Bellinger actually possesses that, with the power to play first base and all three outfield positions.

His finest place is middle subject, and whereas most of his suitors determine to play him there to maximise that protection, the truth that he can transfer round provides a supervisor flexibility. That’s extraordinarily useful. It’s unlikely that any workforce would view Bellinger purely as its first baseman, however in terms of signing a participant to a long-term deal, it’s all the time a consolation to know there shall be choices down the road.

If you needed to guess, the place will he finally signal?

Bellinger is the very best left-handed hitter remaining in free company and possibly the very best total place participant nonetheless out there, making him a superb match for the Blue Jays. The Cubs shouldn’t be counted out, however Chicago has had ample alternative to re-sign Bellinger. The guess here’s a seven-year, $182 million take care of the Blue Jays.