2 frontrunners have emerged to sign Cody Bellinger?

Apr 28, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger (24) returns to the dugout after the third inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Cody Bellinger sweepstakes may be winding down.

In a video appearance this week on the Bleacher Report app, Jon Heyman of the New York Post named the two “most likely” teams for the ex-NL MVP Bellinger — the incumbent Chicago Cubs and the Toronto Blue Jays.

“The Cubs to me make perfect sense,” said Heyman. “I know [Bellinger] loved it there … Obviously the Jays now that they didn’t get [Shohei] Ohtani, they didn’t get [Juan] Soto, they want a left-handed bat… They’d love a left-handed-hitting outfielder, so I think that Toronto will be in there big for Bellinger. Those are the two most likely teams at this point.”

The 28-year-old Bellinger is the top hitter available on the free agent market. He was a Silver Slugger winner last season for the Cubs, hitting a career-high .307 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs, tacking on 20 stolen bases and superb defense in the outfield as well.

A return to the Cubs, who would otherwise have Mike Tauchman as their primary center fielder, obviously makes sense for Bellinger. It is probably worth noting too that Bellinger’s fiancée recently sparked a frenzy by posting a photo to her Instagram Story of the Toronto skyline.

Cody Bellinger’s fiancée posted this photo from Toronto on her Instagram story pic.twitter.com/21S6Sm1Irh

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 11, 2023

Earlier this offseason, Bellinger drew interest from a bigger fish, but that ultimately cooled due to a particular concern with the two-time All-Star. No such concerns may exist for the outfield-needy Cubs and Jays though, so it appears to be a true two-team toss-up right now for Bellinger’s services.