Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Veteran outfielder Cody Bellinger will be hitting the free agent market once again, and he is one of the hottest names that teams are interested in. The former league MVP has drawn interest from multiple teams, including his incumbent team, the New York Yankees.
New York wants to bring Bellinger back after he just put up a very solid season with them, but there seems to be a lot of competition for it to happen. For the year, Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 homers, which were the most for him since 2019.
Bellinger took advantage of playing in Yankee Stadium, with the short porch, and it should help his free agency out very nicely. But the veteran has also put the work in to improve his game, namely his strikeouts, which were a real problem earlier in his career.
However, this past season, Bellinger became one of the toughest players in the league to punch out. The All-Star had a career-low strikeout rate, posting just a 13.7 percent clip.
This should also impact his free agency, and many expect the veteran to receive a massive deal on the open market. But where this could be remains to be seen at this point in the offseason.
This is just a prediction, NOT a report!
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One team that could make a surprise run at Bellinger this offseason is the Los Angeles Angels. Many around the game have linked Bellinger to the Los Angeles Dodgers this winter, but the Angels could be a big player in this sweepstakes.
The Angels’ front office understands that they need to start building back toward contention, and it’s getting to a point of no return for this team. It’s been a decade since they last made the playoffs, but it hasn’t been due to a lack of trying.
Los Angeles has spent during the offseason in recent years, but it just hasn’t worked out well for them. But owner Arte Moreno is reportedly frustrated with how things have gone, and this could see him look to make another big splash this year.
Especially given how much success the Dodgers have seen, it could cause Moreno to throw the bag at someone like Bellinger. But the slugger is actually the type of player that the Angels could use going forward.
Bellinger can fit in almost anywhere, and he could help shore up the outfield for the Angels. Since the team just traded away Taylor Ward, there is now an open spot in the outfield that Bellinger could easily slide into.
Putting his bat in a lineup with Mike Trout and the younger guys on the Angels could offer Los Angeles a much more potent offensive attack. Additionally, his defense would be a welcome sight, and the Angels would feel much more comfortable having him out in center field each game.
This could allow Trout to take on more of the designated hitter role, helping to preserve his career for multiple more years. All in all, if Bellinger is willing to come to the Angels, Los Angeles should do whatever it takes to bring him back to Southern California this offseason.