fbpx

Dodgers Rumors: Cody Bellinger Trade Considered Possibility At Non-Tender Deadline

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers have several players eligible for salary arbitration this offseason, including Cody Bellinger, who many believe is a candidate to be non-tendered and become a free agent.

Teams have until 5 p.m. PT on Friday to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players. Bellinger’s future with the Dodgers has been thrown into doubt after three consecutive subpar seasons.

Some of Bellinger’s struggles have been attributed to undergoing right shoulder surgery after the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series, and then a fracture in his left leg in 2021.

As the deadline to tender contracts approaches, a Bellinger trade reportedly has emerged as a possibility, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network:

Although Bellinger fell short of expectations again this past season, his overall batting line and production represented an improvement from last year. He hit .210/.265/.389 with 27 doubles, three triples, 19 home runs and 68 RBI over 144 games, all the while avoiding the injured list and playing stellar defense in center field.

However, Bellinger’s on-base percentage was the second-worst among 130 qualified batters.

Should the Dodgers non-tender Bellinger, he would immediately become a free agent. That wouldn’t necessarily prevent him from re-signing with L.A., but that would allow for Bellinger to also negotiate contracts with other teams.

Bellinger is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn an $18.1 million salary in 2023 if going through the arbitration process for a final time in his career.

Cody Bellinger interest

As the Dodgers mull their decision on Bellinger, the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays have been mentioned as teams who were monitoring the situation.

Although that was interpreted as likely having interest if the former National League MVP became a free agent, the Cubs or Blue Jays conceivably could emerge as a partner for a Bellinger trade.

Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!

Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com