Astros could leverage Cubs' financial woes with unorthodox first base trade

Despite a number of interesting options available this offseason, the Houston Astros have found themselves in a very competitive first base market. Most think that Pete Alonso will return to the Mets, Christian Walker has multiple aggressive suitors, and even the more budget-friendly 1B options have a number of teams involved.

This leaves the Astros in a difficult spot, especially while they await Alex Bregman's decision. Given the current timelines, there is a real chance the market leaves them behind, forcing them to pick through the dregs.

Sure, there is a chance that they could go with internal options, including continuing to give Victor Caratini time at first and potentially switching Zach Dezenzo across the diamond. However, Houston does seem like they want a dedicated first baseman, and would prefer a concrete import to a patchwork solution.

Enter the Chicago Cubs. One name that has been a bit of a puzzle on the offseason market that could work is Cody Bellinger. While the details are going to matter, the Astros swinging a trade for Bellinger isn't as crazy as one would think.

The Cubs could be forced to accept a painful Cody Bellinger trade and that should absolutely interest the Astros

It has been abundantly clear that the Cubs would love to get Bellinger and his contract off their books. While Bellinger had a nice first season in Chicago, his 2024 campaign represented a continuation of some troubling batted ball trends. Predictably, he just exercised his $27.5 million option to continue to weigh down Chicago's books. That is a lot of money to pay a guy who failed to eclipse 20 homers and appears to be on the decline, no matter how good he once was.

As a result, interest in Bellinger on the trade market has been decidedly lacking. So far, the Cubs have been more inclined to move Bellinger's money than to eat much of his contract. Given how little traction that strategy has gotten so far, Chicago may be forced to entertain eating a good portion of Bellinger's contract to actually move him.

This is where a deal could make sense for the Astros. Assuming a world where Chicago would cover at least half of the money owed to Bellinger, Houston could slot him over at first and call it a day, even if he isn't a star anymore. Bellinger is a very good defender in the outfield and could fill in in a pinch, but he also keeps getting hurt out there and could benefit from playing a less physically demanding position.

Will that actually happen? It is too soon to say. The Cubs aren't going to be able to just get Bellinger's money off the books scot-free, to be sure. However, how much Chicago is going to be willing to eat, especially given Bellinger's stature in their clubhouse, is tough to predict. Moreover, waiting around for the Cubs to come around could be a problem for Houston when there are so many first base options currently available that don't come with as many hoops to jump through.

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