On Thursday, the Cubs decided to part ways with pitcher Cody Poteet to free up space on their 40-man roster. Poteet, acquired from the Yankees in exchange for Cody Bellinger, may be leaving Chicago before even making a significant impact.
A Salary Dump for Bellinger
The trade took place shortly after the Cubs added outfielder Kyle Tucker, indicating Bellinger’s departure as a starting player in Chicago, with Pete Crow-Armstrong securing the everyday center field role.
While Bellinger’s versatility at first base was valuable, Michael Busch seemed to be the Cubs’ rising star. Fans had hoped the freed-up funds would be used to acquire another major free-agent target.
Bellinger had a solid two years with the Cubs after struggling with the Dodgers. He posted a .286/.340/.475 slashline with a .815 OPS, accumulated 7.0 bWAR, and finished in the top 10 for MVP voting in 2023. He also won a Silver Slugger Award as a utility player.
Before the 2024 season, the Cubs signed Bellinger to a three-year, $80 million contract, one of the largest in Cubs history in terms of annual value. However, he was traded to the defending AL champions in December as part of a salary dump, removing the remaining $47 million on his contract from the books.
Cody Poteet’s Short Stint in Chicago
Poteet, a fourth-round pick by the Marlins in the 2015 MLB Draft, wasn’t viewed as a top-tier prospect when the Cubs acquired him. With just 24 MLB appearances under his belt, he has a 3.8 ERA and a 5-4 record. Last season, he had a career year, posting a 3-0 record, a 2.22 ERA, and a 1.068 WHIP in five appearances.
However, Poteet struggled in Spring Training, with a 10.80 ERA and a 2.400 WHIP in 3.1 innings, along with more walks than strikeouts. His poor performance may have prompted the Cubs to reconsider his place on the roster, or perhaps he was never going to make the team regardless of his Spring numbers.
When the trade happened, many saw it as a salary dump, and with Poteet’s release before the Cubs’ first domestic game of the season, it seems that assumption was correct. It’s a bit ironic that the Cubs traded one of their best players for financial relief, considering their estimated worth of over $4.6 billion, according to Forbes.
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