Dodgers Settle on Deal With Cody Bellinger for the 2021 Season

The Dodgers have a few contracts to settle with players that are in arbitration, and today is the deadline to do so. If they are unable to come to an agreement with one of them, they will go to an arbitration hearing in February to make a decision.

One of those guys was Cody Bellinger, who they did agree with on a deal for 2021 today. The Dodgers signed Bellinger to a one-year deal worth $16.1 million, per Jon Heyman. For Bellinger, that’s a big jump up from the  $11.5 million contract they settled on for 2020. 

Bellinger obviously made less than that in 2020 with the shortened season, but it was still a record-setting contract for a player in his first year of arbitration. The Dodgers gave Bellinger that money after an incredible 2019 NL MVP season.

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Bellinger saw a significant step down from his 2019 MVP production last year. Despite that, he still managed to put up 1.7 bWAR in just 56 games played for the Dodgers in 2020. Bellinger also hit 12 homeruns over that time span and played great defense alongside Mookie Betts. 

In the postseason, Bellinger his when it was needed most. He came through in a huge way against the Padres in the Division Series on offense and on defense, robbing Fernando Tatis Jr of a go-ahead homerun. He also hit the go-ahead solo shot off of Chris Martin in Game 7 of the NLCS. 

It’s only a matter of time before the Dodgers try to extend Bellinger, who is entering his second year of arbitration. Along with Corey Seager, Los Angeles has their work cut out for them to extend the two Scott Boras clients. 

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