Yankees linked to $80 million Cubs superstar as possible Juan Soto replacement image
One thing is for certain about the Juan Soto sweepstakes this winter: There will be ripple effects. And the Chicago Cubs could get caught up in the wave.
There’s never been a free agent like Soto before–a surefire Hall of Famer hitting the open market at the age of 26. He’s concentrated now on winning a World Series with the New York Yankees, but soon, he’ll have to shift his focus to the boatloads of money teams are sure to throw at him.
If Soto leaves, which Yankees fans won’t even want to consider after his heroic performance in the American League Championship Series, New York won’t just sit on their hands. They’ll pursue other highly regarded outfielders to try and continue winning pennants moving forward.
The Cubs have one of those outfielders, and he’s got something Soto has yet to win: a Most Valuable Player trophy. Michael Brakebill of FanSided named Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger as an option for the Yankees to replace Soto in the event the young star leaves the Bronx.
“The Yankees wanted to trade for Cody Bellinger in 2023, but the Cubs ultimately decided to keep him. Now, they may have a chance to land him in free agency if he opts out of his deal with the Chicago and, of course, if the Yankees miss out on Soto,” Brakebill said.
“The main obstacle standing in the way is that Bellinger likely won’t find a better deal than what he has right now, given that his second prove-it season didn’t work out as well as his first.”
Bellinger, 29, has a $27.5 million guaranteed salary to fall back on if he opts into his Cubs deal. That’s likely more than the average annual value of the contracts he’d be offered in free agency, but he could opt for the security of a long-term deal.
He’d have to make his decision before Soto signed anywhere, but if Bellinger sensed that a lucrative deal from the Yankees might be on the table, there’s still a possibility he could shock everyone. And losing their most accomplished hitter would be a huge setback for this already-struggling Cubs team.
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