Former National League Most Valuable Player Cody Bellinger is heading from Los Angeles to the midwest.
Bellinger, 27, reportedly signed a one-year, $17.5 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. He spent the first six MLB seasons with the Dodgers, winning Rookie of the Year and MVP honors, plus a Gold Glove, two All-Star selections and a World Series ring.
The Dodgers decided not to tender the center fielder a contract in arbitration because of his recent performance at the plate. He posted a 78 OPS+ — league average is 100 — last year and a 44 OPS+ in 2021. Although his defense in center field is still outstanding, LA deemed him unworthy of what would have been over a $20 million contract.
With the Cubs, Bellinger can bet on himself for a year. If he performs well in Chicago, he can dip back into free agency next winter in hopes of landing a long-term deal.
The Giants have a need for defensive upgrades in the outfield and have a history of preferring short-term “prove it” deals. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants were one of several teams interested in signing Bellinger.
Had the Giants signed Bellinger, they would have created a strange visual given Bellinger’s history in the Giants-Dodgers rivalry. In 2021, Bellinger ended San Francisco’s season with a go-ahead single off Camilo Doval in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. Last year, he pulled an eighth-inning grand slam to spoil a July game in Dodger Stadium.
Bellinger has played 95 games against the Giants, more than any other opponent. Now he’s leaving the NL West.