What occurs when a team wants to trade a player with a no-trade clause? This is the situation the Chicago Cubs are currently dealing with concerning Seiya Suzuki. His agent, Joel Wolfe, confirmed to the media that he has discussed trade possibilities with the Cubs’ president. Although there is no formal no-trade clause in Suzuki’s contract, his agent indicated that he is open to options.
The Chicago Cubs aim to bolster their offense, and a trade might be part of that strategy. Suzuki is a viable candidate, but the team is also pursuing a trade for Cody Bellinger. However, acquiring both Bellinger and Suzuki in the same season appears unlikely, especially considering Suzuki’s stance on changing positions. According to Wolfe, Suzuki is very opinionated about his role, stating, “Seiya is a very strongly opinionated guy. I could see where that might happen, but it doesn’t sound like it was necessarily likely.”
Although the Japanese outfielder had his best offensive season, he faced challenges defensively. In fact, Suzuki served as the designated hitter in 36 of his last 37 games. While many teams are interested in him, most are requesting that he switch positions entirely and focus solely on playing as a DH.
But Seiya Suzuki does not want this move, and that could make things difficult for the Cubs to trade him and lower their costs. His agent remarked on the whole situation: “I think that if he was being posted in Japan and teams were presenting to them their opportunities and they said you could come here and be our full-time DH, I don’t think he would have signed with that team.” If Seiya Suzuki does not agree, the Cubs will have to find other options to lower their costs—so, what now?
The Chicago Cubs are considering trading Cody Bellinger as one option
Although that move by itself doesn’t help them, it gives them financial and roster flexibility to come up with original ideas for roster improvements. The market for Bellinger is still growing. The New York Yankees, who passed over Soto, are seen as a landing place. Hoyer was reluctant to imply that the Cubs would be making any major trades in the coming days.
As reported by The Athletic, the Chicago Cubs would not be surprised if Cody Bellinger were traded this week. The team was somewhat taken aback when Bellinger opted to sign a 27.5millioncontractfor2025,whichincludesa 25 million player option for 2026 or a $ 5 million buyout. After a successful comeback in 2023, though Bellinger had a solid but unremarkable season, it raises the question of what the Cubs might expect in return for him.
The specifics remain unclear for both the Cubs and potential trade partners. However, they could market the 29-year-old to teams in need of assistance at first base or in the outfield. Bellinger’s underwhelming offensive performance at Wrigley Field could be framed more as an individual issue rather than a sign of ongoing decline, given his previous struggles before joining the Cubs. The frequent discussions around a Bellinger trade have led many to believe it is imminent. While the Cubs’ next steps are uncertain, they recognize that free agency may not be the best route for improving their offense.
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