Cubs' Ricketts: Cody Bellinger Contract Talks Haven't 'Become a Negotiation Yet'

Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts told reporters on Monday that the team hasn't moved past the talking stage with free-agent star Cody Bellinger, who had a fantastic season with the Cubbies in 2023.

"There's been some discussions but it hasn't become a negotiation yet," he said.

Ricketts told reporters that negotiations could commence "anytime now, or it could be a few weeks."

He added that he won't get involved in talks with Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, because it has the potential to "undermine the credibility of your general manager. And so inserting yourself into that negotiation, I don't think that helps. So I don't talk to him."

Instead, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer will handle any potential negotiations.

An eventual reunion between the two sides makes sense. Bellinger, 28, hit .307 with 26 homers, 97 RBI, 95 runs, 20 stolen bases and a .881 OPS. It was his most homers, RBI and runs—and his best OPS—since he won the NL MVP in 2019. It was also the most stolen bases and the best batting average of his career.

He was absurd in the second half of the season, hitting 19 homers between July and September.

The Cubs haven't rested on their laurels this offseason, bringing aboard manager Craig Counsell in a $40 million signing. But it's been a quieter winter for the roster, with the signings of starting pitcher Shota Imanaga and reliever Hector Neris the only major player additions thus far.

That has hinted at a roster plan built on promoting from within, given the team's talented farm system. It could even affect Bellinger's chances of getting a huge deal in Chicago, as Pete Crow-Armstrong is probably the team's long-term plan for centerfield.

"We have a lot of young players and some young veteran players that I think have a chance to take real steps forward," Hoyer told reporters earlier in February. "The most exciting thing for me is I think we have a deep roster. And we have a deep roster of players that have a chance to continue to get better. I think that gives me a lot of hope that we can accomplish this year what we couldn't last year."

Still, Bellinger was the centerpiece of the team's offense last season, and getting him back would be huge in the short term for a Cubs team that came oh-so-close to reaching the postseason in 2023.

For now, however, the two sides seem content to play the waiting game.