Reports: Cubs’ Craig Counsell displays courageous approach by taking risk to strenghten roster via a blockbuster trade…..[Details in post]

Fans of the Chicago Cubs will have a lot to look forward to during the 2024 Major League Baseball offseason.

The Cubs will have to step up their game in 2025 if they want to be playoff contenders, following an incredible late-season push that will likely finish with the team missing the postseason.

A lot will depend on Cody Bellinger’s decision on the team’s direction in the summer. He has the option to leave his present deal and explore free agency. On the other hand, he could decide to remain a teammate for one more season. Joel Reuter, an analyst for Bleacher Report, has predicted that Bellinger will elect to leave the team and explore free agency.

The 29-year-old has the opportunity to opt out of the last two seasons of his three-year, $80 million deal this winter. Despite having a less-than-stellar season, his age and record still make it a viable option to consider going for it again in the free agent market.

It should be obvious to the Cubs that they should let Bellinger depart and use that money elsewhere if he opts out, what with Pete Crow-Armstrong becoming their center field future and Michael Busch settling in at first base. The Chicago lineup would be severely depleted if Bellinger were to depart. They should figure out a way to get a new bat for him.
In the 2024 Major League Baseball season, Bellinger has appeared in 110 games for the Cubs. His slash line is.267/.325/.424, and he has 61 RBI and 15 home homers.
It is true that his results have fallen short of his expectations. But he hasn’t been able to settle into a routine because of persistent injury problems.

Bellinger has hit.294 with a.333 on-base percentage, four RBI, and a home run in the first four games of September. Testing the waters of free agency would be the most probable choice if he can have a solid season finale.

With that considered, Chicago needs to make a decision regarding Bellinger’s future with the team early in the offseason. How aggressive the Cubs wind up becoming will be heavily influenced by his decision.

He appears to have a decent shot of testing the waters of the free agency market at the moment.