Former Dodgers Star Cody Bellinger Heading to Free Agency, Could LA Bring Him Back?
Former Los Angeles Dodgers MVP outfielder Cody Bellinger is reportedly planning to opt out of his contract with the New York Yankees and will look to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
The $25 million option that Bellinger is reportedly planning to turn down should insinuate that he will cost a pretty penny this offseason, but after achieving the second-best bWAR of his career in 2025, it is worth considering if a reunion is in the cards for the 30-year-old slugger.
When Bellinger burst onto the scene in 2017, he delivered an electric rookie campaign, hitting .267 with a .933 OPS and 39 home runs. This resulted in an All-Star selection and National League Rookie of the Year honors.
Bellinger, the Dodgers’ fourth round pick in the 2013 Draft, would have a slightly down year in 2018, but earned NLCS MVP honors to help his squad win its second NL pennant in as many years. The 2019 season is when Bellinger took an enormous leap.
As he turned just 23 years old that season, Bellinger had a slashline of .305/.406/.629 with an absurd 1.035 OPS. He added 47 home runs, 115 RBIs, and an NL-leading 8.7 bWAR. He earned MVP honors, an All-Star selection, a Silver Slugger award, and even a Gold Glove honor.
Bellinger’s production would drop during the shortened 2020 campaign, but he would still play an important part in the Dodgers’ seventh World Series in franchise history. He would fail to get close to what he did during his MVP season, until he made his way to the Chicago Cubs in 2023, hitting .307 that season.
After two years in Chicago and spending last season in New York, Bellinger has yet to return to an All-Star game since that 2019 campaign. He could present a lot of value reuniting in Los Angeles with something to prove, and can add tons of depth to a Dodgers outfield that struggled with production in 2025.
The potentially high price for Belligner is something that the Dodgers have never shyed away from, but with LA being linked to Kyle Tucker, younger by two years and demonstrating more consistency in recent seasons, there is no telling what will happen until the offseason truly begins.
How Red Sox ‘Hurt Themselves’ With Jarren Duran Trade Decision
The Boston Red Sox enjoyed a surprising turnaround this year after trading away franchise slugger Rafael Devers, reaching the playoffs for the first time in four years.
But after a first-round loss to the rival New York Yankees, the Red Sox might be wondering what other moves they could have made to improve the roster.
Throughout the year, the Red Sox seemed to be on the cusp of trading away outfielder Jarren Duran, as they faced a logjam in the outfield position and other teams valued his contract controllability. But ultimately, the Red Sox hung onto him, and could now be regretting it.
“The Red Sox blew two great chances to trade Jarren Duran when his value was sky high,” according to The Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy. “They hurt themselves by waiting too long on Duran.”
Shaughnessy noted that the Red Sox could have commanded “a bundle” for Duran had they traded him after last year’s breakout season and that this past trade deadline was another good chance to sell high on him. Now, though, he’s coming off of a harsh postseason that could reduce his potential trade value.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox are still facing a crowded outfield, with Duran, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu all set to compete for time next year. As a result, the team might still seek a trade of Duran, though he won’t command the same kind of return that he would have last winter.
“Jarren Duran did not come close to replicating his 8.7 WAR breakout performance from 2024,” Joe Reuter wrote for Bleacher Report. “However, the Red Sox will enter the 2026 season with an abundance of outfielders … and after a summer of trade rumblings Duran could again be one of the most talked about players on the market.”
The Red Sox might regret holding onto Duran for this long, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t entertain a lesser offer for their surplus outfielder this winter.