This is not what Scott Boras wants. Now, Cody Bellinger, the first member of Boras’ quartet, has agreed to a deal that’s less than expected, which may only make it easier for teams pursuing Boras’ other top free agent clients Be more bold and persevere.
Bellinger reportedly signed a three-year, $80 million free-agent deal with the Chicago Cubs, with an opt-out that gives him a chance to return to the open market next offseason.Maybe then he’ll get a deal closer to what some expected him to be – six years, $162 million Athletic team Tim Britton, 12 years, MLBTradeRumors.com revenue $264 million.
Carlos Correa also followed this path, opting out of his original three-year, $105.3 million contract with the Minnesota Twins in favor of a six-year, $200 million deal. He would also have performed better had the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets not backed out of a deal worth more than $300 million citing his medical issues.
Boras’s other clients – Adrían Beltré, Dallas Keuchel and Mike Moustakas – also initially signed smaller contracts and then made up most or all of the difference. But in order to get such a deal, Bellinger needs to prove himself again. He thought he had done that last season, finishing 10th in National League MVP voting and winning the NL Comeback Player of the Year award.
His average annual worth is $26.67 million, ranking 37th in history, only lower than Freddie Freeman and Carlos Rodón, both of whom have an annual worth of $2,700. Ten thousand U.S. dollars. But Bellinger is about to turn 28, just as Corey Seager, another Boras client, was back then. Two offseasons ago, he signed a 10-year, $325 million contract with the Texas Rangers.
Seager is a shortstop, which helps boost his value. He was also named the 2016 National League Rookie of the Year and the 2020 World Series MVP. On the other hand, he only played 95 games this season due to a broken right hand. His former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, questioned whether he could continue at shortstop. Others wonder about his long-term durability.
Bellinger won the 2023 National League Comeback Player of the Year award with the Cubs. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Bellinger, a center fielder and first baseman, was the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and the 2019 MVP. He’s having a better platform season than Seager, at least on the surface. But his .307 batting average, 26 home runs and .881 OPS were built on an average exit velocity that was better than just one-fifth of major leaguers. The team doesn’t believe Bellinger’s rebound is sustainable or that he has fully overcome his injury-riddled struggles in 2021 and ’22.
Part of Bellinger’s problem is that he’s entering a surprisingly tepid market. His options are limited in part by reduced spending by high-paying clubs like the Mets and Padres, as well as uncertainty many teams face about future local television revenue. Boras regularly identifies and capitalizes on at least one team that’s ready to spend money. Aside from the Dodgers opting for a non-Boras replacement, no such team has emerged this offseason.
Rival agents and some club officials will question whether Boras overused his hands, not just Bellinger but the other members of Boras’ quartet — left-hander Blake Snell, Jordan ·Montgomery and third baseman Matt Chapman. Boras’ initial expectations for Bellinger are unclear, but it’s reasonable to ask: What if his goals were lower? Can he get $120 million over four years? Five years, $145 million? Trade with lower AAV for longer?
Now that Bellinger’s terms are public, it wouldn’t be surprising for Snell, Montgomery and Chapman to reach similar “interim” deals. San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, whose team could use one of those pitchers as well as Chapman, is unchanged in his staredown with Boras. Other clubs are unlikely to relent.
Boras can blame the declining market, lament the club’s financial decline, and point to Bellinger remaining flexible about his future. One thing is for sure, Bellinger will be fine. The Dodgers didn’t invite him two years ago. Boras has since deposited $97.5 million in guaranteed money on him, bringing his career earnings to nearly $150 million. Bellinger still has a chance to get a huge contract for him after this season or next.
fair enough. The game is not over yet. But if you told Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer at the start of the offseason that he was signing Bellinger to a three-year, $80 million deal, how do you think he would react? A smile wider than Lake Michigan. His smile today.
(Top photo: Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
