Cody Bellinger, a 27-year-old outfielder who was an MVP as recently as 2019, has been non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team announced Friday, a somewhat expected move that nonetheless encapsulates his precipitous downfall offensively.
Bellinger was due to make something in the neighborhood of $18 million in 2023, which would have been his final season before free agency. Instead, he'll venture into the free agent market a year early -- though the Dodgers could always renegotiate a different contract, perhaps one that covers multiple years at a lower rate.
Regardless, a Dodgers team coming off back-to-back 100-plus-win seasons is in sudden need of a center fielder.