The Major League Baseball season often winds up playing out like a Rube Goldberg machine.
On Friday, the Chicago Cubs pulled off a monster trade, acquiring superstar right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros. It’s a move that should help the Cubs be far more competitive in 2025, but it also necessitates more moves in the near future.
Now that Tucker is in town, the Cubs have little use for fellow outfielder Cody Bellinger, once a National League Most Valuable Player but now a good-not-great veteran. But plenty of other teams could use Bellinger, especially the one that just lost another superstar right fielder.
The New York Yankees, who watched Juan Soto choose to sign with their crosstown rivals last Sunday, now have a giant hole in right field. They’ve seemed like a natural fit for Bellinger from the minute Soto left, but will a trade actually get done?
According to Michael Brakebill of FanSided, the answer is a resounding “yes.”
“It shouldn’t be long before this deal gets done. It feels like it’s about on the 10-yard line and heading for the endzone once Kyle Tucker passes his physical for the Cubs,” Brakebill said.
“The Yanks may have to pony and take on a bit more salary than they like, which shouldn’t be a huge concern if they want to win. Losing Soto was a gut punch, and unless they make a big splash for Anthony Santander, this move at least stops the bleeding.”
Bellinger, 29, hasn’t been the same player since winning MVP in 2019, but he still put together a decent 2024 campaign. He slashed .266/.325/.426 in 130 games, then opted into the second year of his three-year, $80 million deal with the Cubs.
With money to spare after Soto left, the Yankees should have no issue fitting Bellinger’s salary onto their books. The two sides just have to work out a fair return, which is never a guarantee. Still, a deal feels more likely than not at this stage.
More MLB: Cubs could follow Kyle Tucker trade with blockbuster deal for $13 million superstar
