Shortly before 11 a.m. PT on Thursday morning, MLB Trade Rumors reported (via Twitter) that the Dodgers and outfielder Cody Bellinger have avoided arbitration, agreeing on a one-year / $17 million deal before MLB’s December 1 lockout. MLBTR linked the source as ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel.

This (verbatim) from the Passan/McDaniel article:

“The deal was not announced after the lockout, as teams are not referencing players by name during the work stoppage that has lasted more than three weeks and will stretch into the new year.

“Bellinger, 26, is coming off the worst season of his career, hitting .165/.240/.302 with 10 home runs in 95 games. His postseason performance, however, rekindled memories of his 2019 season, in which he hit .305/.406/.629 with 47 home runs and won the National League MVP award.

“Because arbitration salaries almost always increase, Bellinger will make $900,000 more than he did in 2020. The Dodgers either had to pay Bellinger in the vicinity of $17 million or non-tender him, which would have made him a free agent.

“The deal, which is not guaranteed until Bellinger makes the Dodgers’ opening day roster, represents his third time through arbitration. Following his MVP season, Bellinger set a record salary for a first-time-eligible player at $11.5 million. He is due to reach free agency following the 2023 season.”

As of this writing, there has been no official confirmation on the deal from the Dodgers.

Stay tuned…

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