Chicago Cubs expected to move $720,000 star in hopes of landing Pete Alonso or Juan Soto 

The Chicago Cubs are hoping to fill the potential void that Cody Bellinger's absence could create in their lineup. As per The Athletic, the franchise is reportedly looking to let go of Christopher Morel in exchange for a heavyweight name like Juan Soto or Pete Alonso.

Cody Bellinger broke plenty of Cubs fans' hearts when he refused the mutual option that would have extended his stay in Chicago by a year. This is on the back of a resurgent season from the outfielder. Re-signing him remains a priority for the Cubs but in case that doesn't pan out they are already looking at other options.

Both Juan Soto and Pete Alonso are heading into the final year of their contracts with the San Diego Padres and the New York Mets respectively. This will make them comparatively cheaper and will also allow the Cubs to pursue more options to bolster their offence.

In exchange for the star players, they are considering using Christopher Morel as a possible trade option. Morel hit 26 home runs last season and has a contract worth $720,000 through to 2026 but he has a high strikeout and whiff rate. Morel is also yet to find a comfortable spot in the outfield.

Apart from Morel, the Cubs might also need to dish out some strong pitching prospects from their farm system or have some cash considerations as both Soto and Alonso are big names in the MLB.

Cubs looking to go all out again in the free agency market

The Chicago Cubs spent big last offseason signing three free agents - Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger and Jameson Taillon - yet they finished one game out of the NL Wild Card spots. Reports suggest that they are once again looking to go big and even the likes of Shohei Ohtani are on their radar. The ownership in the past has stated that they are not afraid to go beyond the luxury tax payroll.