Cody Bellinger to Dodgers? LA Linked to Former MVP in Free Agency

Oct 5, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger is now a free agent after a successful season with the New York Yankees. An MLB insider recently linked him to his former team.

Bellinger was drafted by the Dodgers in 2013 and developed through their system, eventually earning a spot on the major league roster as a highly-touted prospect.

He immediately flashed superstar potential, showing a power-heavy bat and fielding range that could make him a top player in the league.

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He had his flaws, especially with his upright batting stance that made him prone to a high number of strikeouts, but he won the MVP in 2019 and posted 17.2 bWAR in his first three seasons.

However, pitchers caught onto his mechanics and attacked him with offspeed pitches, which he struggled to hit.

Bellinger eventually left Los Angeles and signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs as he aimed to rebuild his standing in the game. He earned a Silver Slugger award in 2023 and finished 10th in MVP voting, which secured him a three-year deal with the Cubs.

However, after the 2024 season, Chicago traded him to the New York Yankees, where he delivered another impressive season, which was enough for him to decide to opt out of the final year of his contract and enter free agency.

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Now on the open market, MLB insider Jon Heyman believes a reunion between the Dodgers and Bellinger could be in the cards since Los Angeles desperately needs outfield help.

"He’s basically erased those two subpar offensive years, especially after showing in The Bronx he is again a terrific two-way player," Heyman wrote in a story for The New York Post.

"The Yankees want him back, but the Mets, Phillies and his former Dodgers team also fit. He only says he wants to play for a winner, but hard to know if that rules out the Mets, who have openings at both CF and 1B."

Heyman predicts that Bellinger will land a six-year deal worth $180 million in free agency.

While that is worth $30 million per season, it would be substantially less than what Kyle Tucker will likely earn, which could be a 10-year deal worth around $400 million.

Belinger posted a .272/.334/.480 line last season, hitting 29 home runs and driving in 98 RBIs. If he can replicate that production while continuing to display excellent defense, Dodgers fans will be more than happy to welcome him back, and he could become a key factor in securing additional World Series titles.

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