210 batting average and 19 homers in 144 games this season.
The Dodgers announced today that outfielder Cody Bellinger has been named a non-tender free agent. On this day the “deadline” was reached, i.e. the deadline for notifying players that they have the right to arbitrate annual salaries if they are willing to sign a contract for next season, but Bellinger has not been presented with a contract and has been defined as a non-tender.
Bellinger was the National League MVP in 2019 with 47 homers, but this season he is averaging .210 batting average, 19 homers and 68 RBI and .654 OPS in 144 games. Despite his whopping $17 million (about 2.38 billion yen) annual salary, he’s been in a slump for the past three years, finishing with a . 165 batting average last year.
Ken Rosenthal of US sports media “The Athletic” predicts, “The Dodgers could re-sign him for less than the estimated $18 million in annual salary arbitration.” America’s largest transfer news site ‘Trade Rumours’ bemoaned the ‘drop’, saying: ‘This is not a surprise move at the moment, but no one expected this when he won MVP three years ago “.
(Full-Count Editorial Department)
