Cody Bellinger, 28, has completely broken out of his slump. After being reinstated, he’s looking to hit the jackpot as a free agent.
“Bellinger declined his 2024 mutual option with the Chicago Cubs,” MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, announced on Thursday.
Bellinger signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the Cubs after being released by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a non-tender prior to the 2023 season.
He is due $25 million in 2024 with a mutual option for $328 million. The buyout is $5 million.
So Bellinger, who declined the option, walked away with $17.5 million and a new team.
Bellinger hit .307 with 26 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .356 on-base percentage, a .525 slugging percentage and an .881 OPS in 2023. He missed a month with a left knee injury, but finished strong.
Previously, Bellinger won Rookie of the Year honors in his first year in a Dodgers uniform, batting .267 with 39 home runs and 97 RBIs. He followed that up with a .305 batting average, 47 home runs, 115 RBIs, and a 1.035 OPS in the 2019 season, winning the National League MVP award.
At this point, Bellinger seemed to have it all figured out.
The next year was a downward spiral. From 2020 to last year, he had three seasons of decline. His batting averages were .239, .165, and .210 over the three years. Not surprisingly, his home runs also plummeted. He went from 12 homers to 10 homers to 19 homers. His OPS, which had been over 1, plummeted to 0.788, 0.542, and 0.654. 무지개토토
It was the end of a three-year slump. As a result, Bellinger won the Comeback Player of the Year award.
According to MLB Trade Rumors, “Bellinger is the No. 2 option in free agency. This deal could be close to or exceed 10 years in length,” MLB TradeRumors noted.
According to the outlet, the Cubs will present Bellinger with a qualifying offer of $20.32 million. However, Bellinger will likely decline.
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