Slugger Bellinger Agrees to a 3-Year, $80 Million Contract
“Slugger Bellinger agrees to a 3-year, $80 million contract with his original team, the Cubs”
Right to opt out after the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Cody Bellinger (28), a large outfielder who remained in the Major League Baseball (MLB) free agent (FA) market,
signed a three-year contract with his original team,
the Chicago Cubs, for a total of $80 million (approximately KRW 106.6 billion) agreed to a contract. 파워볼게임
ESPN quoted a source on the 25th (Korean time) and announced the news of the contract agreement,
saying, “Bellinger can opt out (break the existing contract and sign a free agent contract again)
after completing the first and second seasons of the contract.”
Cody Bellinger
“The existing rights were entered into the contract,” the report said.
If Bellinger does not opt out, he will receive $30 million in the 2024 and 2025 seasons and $20 million in 2026.
Bellinger is a superstar who received the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 2017 and the NL Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2019.
After experiencing a terrible slump from 2020 to 2022,
he was released as a non-tender (unconditional release) from the Los Angeles Dodgers,
and succeeded in overcoming the pain of being released from the Cubs last year and made a comeback.
Chicago Cubs
He regained his former form by appearing in 130 games,
posting a batting average of 0.307, 26 home runs, and 97 RBIs, and confidently qualified as a free agent.
Bellinger’s contract was not as easy to sign as expected.
Due to the sluggish market atmosphere and the stubbornness of his agent Scott Boras,
he was unable to find a team until spring camp opened.
Cody Bellinger had difficulty signing the contract only after the Cubs had played two exhibition games.
There are still many big players remaining in the free agent market.
Blake Snell, last season’s NL Cy Young Award winner,
left-handed starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery, and third baseman Matt Chapman,
who also plays offense and defense, have not yet signed contracts.