Cubs Rumors: Cody Bellinger Won't Be Traded amid Yankees, Dodgers, Marlins Interest

Cody Bellinger is remaining on the North Side of Chicago for the remainder of the season.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reported that the Chicago Cubs had officially taken the outfielder's name out of any potential trade talks as the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches.

This comes in the midst of an eight-game win streak that has allowed the Cubs to creep back into playoff contention. Before this, the team was looking into dealing the resurgent Bellinger, with clubs like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Miami Marlins linked as potential candidates.

Bellinger is having a career resurgence with the Cubs, hitting .315 with 15 home runs and 46 RBI's across 73 games in 2023. While these numbers don't stand up to his 2019 MVP season, they are significant improvements from his final seasons with the Dodgers and show that the 27-year-old still has plenty left in the tank.

He signed a one-year, $17.5 million deal with the Cubs ahead of the season, so he will be a free agent once again at the conclusion of the season. For a Cubs team that spent much of the season below .500, he seemed like a worthy trade candidate to gather prospects and continue the rebuild.

However, the recent win streak has revitalized the team and they now are within striking distance of a playoff spot. The Cubs are 53-51 and are just 3.5 games outside of first place in the NL Central. They are also just three games outside of the final NL Wild Card.

Rogers reported that the team will instead look to bolster the bullpen as they chase a return to the playoffs after a two season hiatus.