The resurgent Cody Bellinger, 28, is leaving the Chicago Cubs to find a new team.

“The Cubs announced that Bellinger has declined his 2024 mutual option,” MLB.com reported on Thursday, “making him one of the most intriguing and impactful hitters to hit the open market this winter.”굿모닝토토 주소

Bellinger signed a one-and-a-half-year deal with the Cubs prior to the 2023 season.

His salary for the 2023 season was $12.5 million, with a $25 million mutual option for the 2024 season. The deal included a $5 million buyout if the option was not exercised.

Instead of taking the $25 million and staying with the Cubs, Bellinger opted to hit the free agent market.

Bellinger, the 2017 National League (NL) Rookie of the Year, hit .305 with 47 home runs and 115 RBIs in 156 games in 2019 and was named NL Most Valuable Player (MVP).

However, Bellinger’s numbers started to fall off in 2020. He hit just .165 in 95 games in 2021 and struggled to a .210 batting average last year.

After leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bellinger resurfaced in a Cubs uniform for the 2023 season. In 130 games this year, he hit .307 with 26 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 20 doubles.

Bellinger’s complete rebound earned him the NL Comeback Player of the Year award at this year’s Players’ Choice Awards, presented by the Major League Baseball Players’ Union.

Having reasserted his value, Bellinger is expected to be a hot commodity in free agency.