Source: Dodgers non-tender Bellinger, now a FA

Cody Bellinger, a 27-year-old outfielder who was an MVP arsenic precocious arsenic 2019, is expected to beryllium non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers, a somewhat expected determination that nevertheless encapsulates his precipitous downfall offensively, a root told ESPN connected Friday, confirming a study by The Athletic.

Bellinger was owed to marque thing successful the vicinity of $18 cardinal successful 2023, which would person been his last play earlier escaped agency. Instead, he'll task into the escaped cause marketplace a twelvemonth aboriginal -- though the Dodgers could ever renegotiate a antithetic contract, possibly 1 that covers aggregate years astatine a little rate.

Regardless, a Dodgers squad coming disconnected back-to-back 100-plus-win seasons is successful abrupt request of a halfway fielder. Bellinger continued to supply Gold Glove-caliber defence astatine that position, successful summation to positive velocity connected the bases, but his struggles offensively became excessively overmuch to tummy astatine his existent rate. Teams faced a Friday deadline to determine whether to tender a 2023 declaration to their arbitration-eligible players.

Bellinger was named the National League's Most Valuable Player aft a 2019 play successful which helium slashed .305/.406/.629 with 47 location runs, 115 RBIs and 15 stolen bases portion being worthy 7.7 FanGraphs wins supra replacement. Since then, though, helium has slashed .203/.272/.376 implicit a agelong of 295 regular-season games. His .648 OPS from 2020 to 2022 ranked 299th retired of the 338 qualified hitters during that stretch.

On the heels of an MVP and coming disconnected the COVID-19-shortened outpouring training, Bellinger rejoined the Dodgers successful the summertime of 2020 with an overhauled batting stance that helium struggled with passim the shortened season. He past suffered a enarthrosis wounded during a location tally solemnisation successful the National League Championship Series that necessitated offseason surgery.

Recovering from that wounded was seen arsenic portion of the crushed for his struggles successful 2021, erstwhile his batting mean plummeted to .165. He switched to a much basal attack down the agelong -- lowering his hands, choking up connected the bat -- and produced successful the postseason, inspiring anticipation heading into 2022. But Bellinger struggled erstwhile more, batting .210 with 19 location runs successful 144 games for a Dodgers squad that acceptable a franchise grounds with 111 victories. A telling motion came successful the ensuing playoffs, close earlier the squad was eliminated by the San Diego Padres successful the part series, erstwhile Bellinger sat connected the seat with an opposing right-hander connected the mound successful Game 4.

It mightiness person been his last representation successful a Dodgers uniform.