Astros Rumors: Houston could battle NL contender for Cody Bellinger at Trade Deadline

The 2024 MLB trade deadline is fast approaching, arriving on July 30 at 6:00 PM EST. Cody Bellinger, the 2019 National League Most Valuable Player, is rumored to be in the midst of a bidding war despite suffering a recent injury. With a vacancy at first base (sorry, Jon Singleton) and an easy path to the playoffs, it's no surprise that the Astros have already been connected to him.

According to The Athletic's Jim Bowden, though, they're far from alone, and might be falling behind some NL powerhouses and an AL West rival in the chase.

Per Bowden, Dana Brown's Astros are looking to add an "impactful long- or short-term solution at first base,” and Bellinger would certainly qualify as such.

Unfortunately, the Astros weren't mentioned among the teams with interest in Bellinger — the Braves, Mariners and Phillies have also shown interest, and were highlighted by Bowden, who addressed where all 30 teams stand regarding their trade needs with under 20 days until the trade deadline.

Cody Bellinger fits Astros' trade needs, but Mariners, Braves and Phillies are circling

Bellinger is currently playing on a three-year contract with the Chicago Cubs, which includes an opt-out after this year and a player option after the following season. He will have $52.5 million remaining on his current deal after the conclusion of this campaign.

More specifically, he has the option to take a $2.5 million buyout or collect $27.5 million in 2025 along with another $25 million option and a $5 million buyout in 2026.

So far this year, the Scottsdale, AZ. native has nine home runs and 37 RBI alongside a .269 batting average.

Recently, Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list after being hit in the hand during a recent game against the Orioles, though he recently stated that his mobility has remained mostly unaffected and that he's simply waiting on the all clear to play the finger injury safe.

"[It's] a little swollen," Bellinger said. "[There's a little bit of pain. But I think whenever we can can we're going to get some imaging on it ... but the range of motion is pretty good."

Interest in Bellinger makes sense. His 2019 NL MVP award was well-earned, with the then-Dodgers first-baseman posting a 1.035 OPS at just 23 years old.

The former Gold Glove winner has 187 home runs in his career across 889 hits. He has plenty of experience, with 3,438 at-bats and 954 games played.

Just six years later, he still has plenty of talent to bring to any franchise. With the Astros having a need to fill at first base, Bellinger could be just the guy they're looking for.