MLB insider makes bold statement in the aftermath of Jung Hoo Lee's big pay day - "Cody Bellinger should get at least double that"

Cody Bellinger remains a sought-after candidate as the Chicago Cubs outfielder decided to become a free agent. After Jung-Hoo Lee's contract signing with the San Francisco Giants, MLB teams can now focus on Bellinger, the other free agent outfielder looking to take his services to a new team.

Bellinger had a resurgent year with the Cubs on his way to the NL Comeback Player of the Year award. He slashed .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs. The 28-year-old had signed a one-year deal with the club at the start of the season.

The baseman was previously one of the star batters in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. He had made his way to a 2019 NL MVP following up with a World Series victory with the team in 2020. However, things went haywire following a number of injuries in 2021-22. He had the lowest OBP of .265 for all eligible hitters and batted .210 striking once in almost every third at-bat.

But his resurgence in 2023 has led insiders to think differently about his mettle. As Jung-Hoo Lee, an outsider to the big leagues, got selected by the Giants for a massive six-year $113 million contract. As per insider Michael Marino, Bellinger is worth double of what the Korean outfielder received.

"If Jung-Hoo Lee got 113M, Cody Bellinger should get at least double that. I don’t know if he’s worth double that, but he’s way better than Lee in my opinion, even with the risk," Marino said.

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Probable teams looking to sign Cody Bellinger

The Cubs remain the favorites to re-sign their star player after a successful season with them. They have prospects lined up to slot beside Cody Bellinger in the defensive line.

Another team that has been heavily linked to the outfielder are the Toronto Blue Jays, who are desperately in need of backup outfielders after a number of free agencies. Their aggressiveness to sign Ohtani signals that they will put their all sign Bellinger.