Cubs Fans’ Hope: These 4 Outfielders Can fill the…
The Chicago Cubs are set to begin the offseason with one huge question facing them.
Will star outfielder Cody Bellinger stay with the team on his $27.5 million contract for the 2025 season, or will he choose to opt out and explore the open free agency market?
At this point in time, no one knows what decision he will end up making. Each option seems equally possible right now.
Should Bellinger end up leaving town, the Cubs would need to quickly pivot and find a replacement. Bellinger has been a huge part of Chicago’s offensive production over the last couple of years. Losing him would be a tough blow to the team’s lineup.
Fans will find out in the very near future about Bellinger’s decision. The offseason is almost upon us.
All of that being said, let’s take a look at four potential replacements for the Cubs to look at if Bellinger does opt to leave town to test free agency.
Brent Rooker, Trade with Oakland Athletics
One potential option could be to look at the trade market for a replacement. Brent Rooker would make an awful lot of sense for Chicago.
During the 2024 MLB season with the Athletics, Rooker ended up playing in 145 games. He hit 39 home runs to go along with 112 RBI, while batting .293/.365/.562. Those numbers wo8uld look good in the Cubs’ lineup.
At 29 years old, trading for Rooker would give Chicago an elite option now and for the future. He has contract control in his deal and the Cubs would be set with him as one of their key lineup features.
Anthony Santander, Free Agency
Another big piece that Chicago could target if they lose Bellinger would be Anthony Santander. He would not be a cheap option in MLB free agency, but he would bring a very powerful bat to the table.
At 29 years old, trading for Rooker would give Chicago an elite option now and for the future. He has contract control in his deal and the Cubs would be set with him as one of their key lineup features.
Anthony Santander, Free Agency
Another big piece that Chicago could target if they lose Bellinger would be Anthony Santander. He would not be a cheap option in MLB free agency, but he would bring a very powerful bat to the table.
Santander ended up hitting 44 home runs to go along with 102 RBI, while batting .235/.308/.506. His slash line may not be elite, but he’s capable of producing at a very high level.
Losing Bellinger would be a loss of quite a bit of power for the lineup. Santander could come in and replace that immediately.
Joc Pederson, Free Agency
Next up, the Cubs could take a look at a less expensive option in free agency. Joc Pederson played half of the 2021 season with Chicago. Could the two sides consider reuniting this offseason?
Pederson is coming off of a 2024 season that saw him hit 23 home runs and drive in 64 RBI. The 32-year-old outfielder also produced a slash line of .275/.393/.515.
Granted, he would be an elite option to replace Bellinger, but he would make an impact at the fraction of the cost of some of the elite outfielders in the free agency and trade markets.
Luis Robert Jr., Trade with Chicago White Sox
Pulling off a trade with the arch-rival White Sox is never an easy thing to do. However, Robert would be a very intriguing target for the Cubs.
At 27 years old, Robert would be a long-term pickup for Chicago. He played in 100 games in 2024 and struggled to produce. Robert hit 14 home runs and chipped in 35 RBI.
Back in 2023, he showed off more of his full potential with 38 home runs and 80 RBI. If the Cubs wanted to pursue a blockbuster trade for a potential superstar to replace Bellinger, Robert would be a prime candidate.
