Report: Surging Cubs tell Cody Bellinger he will not be traded

The Chicago Cubs have knowledgeable pending free-agent Cody Bellinger he is not going to be traded, in accordance with Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

Bellinger, 28, is slashing .315/.368/.540 this yr in what’s described as a resurgent season.

Having gained eight straight, Chicago (53-51) feels the playoffs at the moment are a risk and can as an alternative try to add on the commerce deadline, in accordance with the story. The Cubs are simply 3.5 video games again of the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

The National League’s MVP in 2019 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bellinger signed a one-year, $17.5-million cope with the Cubs previous to this season.

Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP, was minimize by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Nov. 18 after the 27-year-old outfielder hit .210 with 19 homers, 150 strikeouts and a .654 OPS in 144 video games.

Bellinger, 28, was restricted to 95 video games in the course of the 2021 common season when he was on the injured listing thrice and batted .165. He hit .353 in 12 video games in that postseason and had the go-ahead RBI single in Game 5 of the NL Division Series in opposition to the rival San Francisco Giants. Bellinger additionally had a tying, three-run homer in opposition to Atlanta in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series.

In 2020, Bellinger hit .239 with 12 residence runs in 56 video games in the course of the pandemic-shortened season. He homered thrice within the NLCS, and the Dodgers beat the Braves to succeed in the World Series. They went on to defeat Tampa Bay in six video games to win the franchise’s first title since 1988.

Bellinger has battled accidents since his MVP season, together with having surgical procedure on his proper shoulder in November 2020.

Before his precipitous drop-off, Bellinger was the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and 2018 NLCS MVP. He made two All-Star groups, and gained a Gold Glove in 2019.

— With information from AP