Cody Bellinger signed to Chicago Cubs for a one-year, $17.5 million deal

Former National League MVP Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs have agreed to a one-year, $17.5 million deal. Bellinger became a free agent after the Los Angeles Dodgers failed to tender his contract at the end of the season.

The deal is great for both sides. The Chicago Cubs had a hole in center field and were looking for a left-handed bat. Cody Bellinger is a Gold Glover in the outfield. The one-year deal gives him the opportunity to bounce back from an uninspiring 2022 season.

Cody Bellinger didn't have the year he was hoping for. He had a slash line of .210/.265/.389 with 19 home runs. He hasn't had the same productivity at the plate since winning the MVP Award in 2019.

Chicago Cubs fans are ecstatic about the signing. They think Bellinger has what it takes to be valuable in play. A one-year deal ensures that if he doesn't figure it out at the plate, the team isn't stuck with him for the long term.

Fans are ready for this team to get competitive again. They've been rebuilding for the last two seasons. Fans believe that all that is behind them now, and they're ready for the team to make more moves in the free-agent market.

Now that the Chicago Cubs signed Cody Bellinger, what's next?

The Chicago Cubs have shown interest in signing one of the top shortstops on the market. One shortstop that makes a ton of sense is Dansby Swanson.

Swanson's fiance, Mallory Pugh, is a professional soccer player for the Chicago Red Stars. It would be an easy selling point for the Cubs.

Swanson hit .277 with 25 home runs last season. He's good at the plate and flashes some solid leather at shortstop.

For a team that's looking to upgrade over the off-season, look for the Cubs to get aggressive and make some more moves.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Cody Bellinger signed to Chicago Cubs for a one-year, $17.5 million deal - MLB Twitter reacts

Now that the Chicago Cubs signed Cody Bellinger, what's next?