The Los Angeles Dodgers could go after free agent Cody Bellinger this offseason, putting together a dream return for the former MVP after the Dodgers non-tendered him in 2022.
Bellinger would be a perfect addition to the Dodgers, who need a new outfielder after Michael Conforto’s departure to free agency, but his signing comes with many questions. While Bellinger has been a solid player since his departure, his final two seasons in LA are still fresh in Dodger fans’ memories.
He played 239 games in his final two seasons with the Dodgers, where he had an OPS of .611 and batted .193. He still managed 29 home runs, however was far below the production the Dodgers expected out of him at that point.
Bellinger has had a few solid seasons since, though, posting an OPS above .750 in each. He hit 29 home runs in 2025, which is exactly as many as he did for the Dodgers in 2021 and 2022 combined. He especially impressed in 2023 and 2025, passing 25 home runs after missing that mark in every season since his MVP year in 2019, and receiving MVP votes in both years.
While he seems to have his career back on track, Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain still has his reservations.
“You could play him in left, play him in right, play him at first when Freddie Freeman needs a day off,” McKain said. “The issue I have with Cody Bellinger, and kind of the one warning sign, is he was an All-Star at Yankee Stadium where he had the short porch. He was a below average player outside of New York.”
Bellinger, a left-handed hitter, had a huge advantage with the Yankees this past season, as the right field wall in Yankee Stadium is just 314 feet from home plate. This gives lefties such as Bellinger a significant advantage, especially having played half of his games there last season.
At Yankee Stadium, Bellinger had a .909 OPS and hit 18 of his 29 home runs. On the road, however, he had a .715 OPS, which is right around league average.
While Bellinger is clearly still a top player, his performances in a favorable environment raise the question as to whether or not he would survive back in Los Angeles.
