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As veteran outfielder Cody Bellinger enters free agency, he is coming off a very strong season with the New York Yankees. Bellinger thrived playing in New York, potentially from having the short porch in Yankee Stadium.
However, the slugger has shown improved discipline at the plate over the last few years. Strikeouts were a real problem for Bellinger early on in his career, but he is now one of the more difficult players to punch out.
This past season, Bellinger had a career-low strikeout rate, posting just a 13.7 percent clip. Overall, it was a strong season for the veteran, and it saw him slash .272/.334/.480 with 29 homers, which were the most for him since 2019.
One option for Bellinger could be to just go back to New York, which would be easy for both sides. But if the Yankees were to play around with numbers on his contract, we could see the veteran look to sign elsewhere.
There have been reports coming out that both sides would seriously welcome a reunion, but in free agency, it’s all about the money. Bellinger has a chance to land a life-changing type of contract, and he will likely at least test the open market to see what he can get.
This is just a prediction, NOT a report!
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Cody Bellinger Signs With Texas Rangers
One team that could make a run at Bellinger is the Texas Rangers. While Texas has already said that they will likely slash payroll this winter, this could always be a ploy to throw teams off the scent of what they are actually doing.
The Rangers have fallen down a peg from their title run just a few years ago, and this could see the front office look to be aggressive again. Texas knows well that when they’ve spent money, good things have tended to happen out on the field.
Adding a power bat like Bellinger to the mix could drastically help this team, and he would fit in well. Bellinger would be reunited with Rangers star infielder Corey Seager, and Seager would likely vouch for him with the front office.
There were rumors about the Rangers looking to trade away outfielder Adolis GarcÃa last year, so bringing Bellinger in could open these talks again. Bellinger is also an excellent defender, so this move could be to help both sides of the ball.
The Rangers have a lot of potential still, but they have to get back to the basics that helped them win the World Series recently. Bellinger does a lot of things very well, and he could be the splashy move that helps this team jump back into title contention.