Cubs Make Trade With White Sox to Clear Spot for Cody Bellinger
Opening Day is about one month away as teams are currently in Spring Training around the league. The Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox are still making moves to bolster their squads ahead of the 2024 campaign.
On Tuesday, the Cubs traded left-handed pitcher Bailey Horn to the White Sox for right-handed pitcher Matt Thompson. This move frees up a roster spot on the Cubs roster for Cody Bellinger.
Sources tell @Ken_Rosenthal and me that the Cubs have traded LHP Bailey Horn to the White Sox for RHP Matt Thompson. Clears a spot on the 40-man for Cody Bellinger once his signing becomes official.
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) February 27, 2024
Horn, 26, heads back to the organization that selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He spent the 2023 season between the Cubs Double-A and Triple-A teams, pitching in 65 innings out of the bullpen, logging a 4.21 ERA.
Thompson, 23, was selected in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Last season, he played in the Double-A, posting an ERA of 4.85 with 136 K's and a strikeout rate of 23.9%. He also owns a powerful arm, notching 97 MPH on the radar gun.
This move was mainly about clearing a roster spot for Bellinger. On Feb. 25, the two-time All-Star agreed on a three-year, $80 million deal with the Cubs. He has the option to opt-out after the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
The 28-year-old came to the Windy City in 2023 and had a productive season for the Cubs. He was seventh in the majors in batting average (.307) with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs. Bellinger is a powerful slugger with outstanding plate discipline. Bringing him back to Chicago is a massive win for the ballclub.
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