It was only a matter of time.
From the moment Cody Bellinger chose to pick up his $27.5 million player option for the 2025 season, rather than becoming a free agent, it became increasingly clear — somewhat ironically — that his clock in Chicago was ticking.
Bellinger’s choice to exercise the option wasn’t especially surprising, considering his modest performance in 2024. He had failed to replicate the star-level production he provided in his first year as a Cub in 2023, and thus it was unclear if he could command similar guaranteed dollars on the open market if he opted out.