The first major domino of the offseason has fallen. 

Superstar outfielder Juan Soto has reportedly come to terms with the Mets on a historic contract for 15 years and $765 million, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan:

The Cubs were never in the mix for the lefty star, but his signing still has a ripple effect on the Cubs. Cody Bellinger’s name has been floated in trade rumors almost all offseason. 

Bellinger’s value might have jumped a bit after Soto’s decision. There isn’t a clear, high-level left-handed hitting option on the market after Soto, so the interest in Bellinger could balloon a bit now. 

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Moving Bellinger won’t be an easy task, though.

He has two years and $52.5 million remaining on his contract, including $27.5 million in 2025. Bellinger also has an opt-out after the 2025 season that comes with a $5 million buyout.

That’s a solid price if he performs as he did in 2023 when he was a 4.4 fWAR player with an .881 OPS and a 136 weighted runs created plus, 36 points above league average. But in 2024, Bellinger took a step back with a 2.2 fWAR, 109 wRC+ and .751 OPS.

Since 2020, Bellinger’s best season has been that 2023 campaign and teams might be wary to pay a premium — both in trade capital and in contract value — for a player who has been either only slightly above league average or below league average in 4 of his last 5 seasons.

Trading Bellinger could be a way for the Cubs to improve their offense, though. Moving him would create an opening at DH and could open up at-bats for some of their young prospects or a player acquired through trade or free agency. 

Dealing Bellinger would also allow the Cubs to reallocate that $27.5 million into other aspects of the roster.

Soto moving back to the National League will certainly have an impact on the Cubs, who have their sights set on the playoffs in 2025 and beyond. Soto is still firmly in his prime and one of the truly elite players in baseball so it is entirely possible the Cubs will have to contend with Soto and the Mets either for a playoff spot or in a postseason series at some point in the near future.