The Los Angeles Dodgers have shown a willingness to be aggressive in free agency over recent years, and that could continue this winter even after the addition of Edwin Díaz on a record-breaking contract.
Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker each lingering on the market has fueled speculation the Dodgers could be primed to make another splash if any of the three is open to a short-term contract.
That’s certainly not a guarantee, of course, particularly with overlapping interest in the trio from several big-market teams.
According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, Bellinger returning for a second stint with the Dodgers is not considered a likely outcome because of his preference to still sign more of a long-term deal:
The Dodgers continue to monitor the markets of free-agents Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger and Bo Bichette, though one team source recently expressed skepticism regarding a Bellinger reunion, saying it was unlikely the club would offer the number of years Bellinger covets.
The Dodgers’ interest in Bellinger was first reported last November. He became a free agent this offseason by declining a $20 million player option with the New York Yankees.
Bellinger is coming off a productive season with the Yankees after playing for the Chicago Cubs from 2023-2024. After failing to re-sign Juan Soto, the Yankees completed a trade with the Cubs to acquire Bellinger in exchange for Cody Poteet.
For the Cubs, the trade was in response to acquiring Tucker, who now could end up replacing Bellinger on the Yankees roster. Though, some reports suggest the Yankees prefer to re-sign Bellinger rather than add Tucker, who may be a focal point of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Cody Bellinger contract history
The Cubs first signed Bellinger to a one-year, $17.5 million contract in December 2022. The deal called for a $12.5 million salary in 2023 and $5 million mutual option.
Bellinger wound up declining his end of the option but re-signed with the Cubs in February 2024 on a three-year, $80 million contract. Bellinger’s new contract included opt-outs after the first and second years.
Bellinger received a $30 million salary in 2024 and 2025. Had he not exercised the opt-out clause, Bellinger would have been paid $20 million by the Yankees in 2026.
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