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A person familiar with the move confirmed the
decision on Saturday on condition of anonymity because it hadn't
been announced by the team.
Bellinger batted .266 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs in 130 games
this year. He was on the injured list from April 24 to May 7
with a right rib fracture.
He drove in 33 runs in his last 39 games of the season, but
Chicago finished with an 83-79 record and missed out on the
playoffs for the fourth straight year.
The Cubs declined Drew Smyly's $10 million mutual option in
favor of a $2.5 million buyout, making the left-hander a free
agent. Smyly went 4-8 with a 3.84 ERA in 50 appearances this
year.
Bellinger, who plays first base and center field, spent his
first six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the NL
MVP in 2019, batting .305 with 47 homers and 115 RBIs in 156
games. He also helped LA win the World Series in 2020.
He was cut by the Dodgers in November 2022 and signed a $17.5
million, one-year deal with Chicago a month later. He regained
his form with the Cubs, hitting a career-best .307 with 26
homers, 97 RBIs and 20 steals in 130 games last season year.
After testing out free agency, Bellinger agreed to an $80
million, three-year contract with Chicago in February. The
two-time All-Star also has a $25 million player option for 2026
with a $5 million buyout that would be payable in equal
installments on Jan. 15, 2026, and Jan. 15, 2027.
Bellinger is a .259 hitter with 196 homers and 597 RBIs in 1,005
career games. He turns 30 in July.
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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