With Michael Conforto almost a certainty to not return to the ballclub, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a vacant outfield spot to fill this offseason.
It’ll be a bit of a game of Tetris to best organize the preexisting outfielders. Truthfully, Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernandez are better suited to be corner outfielders given Hernandez’s lack of range, and Pages possessing one of the strongest arms in the game.
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Under this premise, the goal for LA involves inking someone to play centerfield … unless perhaps a Steven Kwan becomes available in which case Pages would man the centerfield spot in theory.
Jeff Passan of ESPN — one of the most dialed-in analysts in the sport — believes that the Dodgers could look to have a reunion with a former beloved team member that would fill a gigantic hole in the outfield.
“Beyond the Yankees, who would like a return engagement with [Cody] Bellinger … the Blue Jays see him as a perfectly good alternative to Tucker. And the Dodgers, who nontendered Bellinger three years ago, have expressed interest as they peruse the outfield market.”
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Bellinger has the obvious history with the franchise having been drafted by the Dodgers. He also was the Rookie of the Year with the ballclub in 2017 and the NL MVP two years later. His tenure in LA fell off a cliff where he struggled immensely. Some of that may have been due to the freaky accident celebrating with Kiké Hernandez in which he injured his shoulder.
Since then, he’s bounced back and been a very solid player in Chicago for the Cubs and most recently with the New York Yankees.
Courtesy of Baseball Savant, the graphic above showcases Bellinger’s past year. His fielding metrics are elite, as was his ability to not strike out. Those are two facets LA covets in addition to his defensive versatility.
There’s also a bit of a question mark for guys returning to places they once had success in. However, as a pure fit, Bellinger does make a lot of sense. He’d also be a cheaper alternative to Kyle Tucker.
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Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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