We often refer to a player having an incredible stretch of play by saying that he is putting up video-game numbers.
When we play video games and start a career or season mode with our favorite team or player, stats are very impressive, especially if the difficulty mode is set to easy.
Well, in the month of July, it appears that the competition level was set on “beginner” for Chicago Cubs slugger Cody Bellinger.
Cody Bellinger’s July has been unbelievable. 🔥
(MLB x @XboxGamePass) pic.twitter.com/IlWlzM3nmd
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) July 24, 2023
At this point, even if Bellinger goes 0-for-the-rest-of-the-month, he should be the National League’s biggest candidate to win the Player of the Month award.
He has been magnificent.
With a .452 batting average, 22 RBI, 18 runs scored and seven home runs, the lefty-hitting slugger is having one of the best months of his life.
He also has a 1.270 OPS since the start of July.
His excellent performances have come at a perfect time for the Cubs.
They still want to fight for the NL Central crown, and while they are not particularly close with a 48-51 record and seven games behind the division leader, there is still time for them to surge.
And if they have a bad week and decide to sell (also a possibility, as things are very fluid), Bellinger getting hot only increases his value.
The Cubs also have leverage.
They don’t “have” to trade him if they don’t want to, even if his mutual option for 2024 is unlikely to be exercised by the player.
They could opt to keep him and compete for a Wild Card spot or the division.
Either way, Bellinger’s current performance only represents good news for Chicago.
NEXT:
Cody Bellinger Keeps Increasing His Trade Value