Although Cody Bellinger all but surely will be leaving the Dodgers this offseason, one Major League Baseball insider can see the free-agent sticking around in the National League West.
Bellinger is free to sign wherever he pleases after he was non-tendered by Los Angeles following the 2022 season. One has to imagine Bellinger, a two-time All-Star and the 2019 NL MVP, is looking for a short-term deal in order to rebuild his stock and potentially cash in as a free agent as early as next year.
MLB Network’s Steve Phillips recently power-ranked potential landing spots for Bellinger and the Colorado Rockies claimed the No. 1 spot. The Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox rounded out the top five, respectively.
The Rockies probably wouldn’t be able to offer Bellinger an opportunity to compete in the playoffs in 2023, but the 27-year-old might not care if he’s only going to be with the club for a year. Coors Field is a hitter’s haven and could be a great place for Bellinger to reestablish himself as one of the game’s better left-handed bats.
The Astros also could pull a rejuvenation out of Bellinger and Houston reportedly has held internal discussions about potentially bringing him on board. But the reigning World Series champions might be more interested in fellow free-agent outfielder Andrew Benintendi, a 2022 All-Star.
