Getting traded to the New York Yankees in a salary dump last winter turned out to be a great thing for Cody Bellinger. Escaping the pitcher-friendly confines of Wrigley Field, the slugger turned in a monster year in the Bronx, putting up big-time offensive numbers and setting himself up for a major payday.
On that note, it comes as no surprise that Bellinger is declining his $25 million player option for 2026 and will hit free agency this winter, well positioned to out-perform the three-year, $80 million deal he wound up settling for in his return to the Chicago Cubs ahead of the 2024 campaign.