NEW YORK — During the last offseason, Cody Bellinger thought he could return to the Dodgers.
“There was definitely a possibility,” Bellinger told The California Post.
Bellinger was a free agent, and the Dodgers were looking for an outfielder.
“There was some dialogue there, for sure,” Bellinger said.
His reason for wanting to return to his former team was simple: He wanted to play in the World Series again.
But with his older daughter 5 years old and close to starting school, the member of the Dodgers’ 2020 championship team also wanted the stability of a long-term contract.
The Dodgers ended up signing Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract with the thinking he could exercise his opt-out clause to return to the open market after two years. Bellinger returned to the Yankees on a five-year, $162.5 million deal.
Now, instead of thinking about playing in the World Series with the Dodgers, he’s dreaming of playing there against them.
“Of course,” said Bellinger, who was the All-Star Game MVP last week.
“Ultimately, for me, I just want to get back to the World Series,” he said. “You can’t control [what happens in] the National League, but, for me, I can control how we get there. That’s my goal.”
Despite how his time with the Dodgers ended after the 2022 season and despite their inability to reach a deal this winter, Bellinger said he doesn’t have any hard feelings toward his old team.
“There’s nothing but love and respect between us,” he said. “I think we accomplished some amazing things. I know, for me, I think about the good memories over there. We had a lot of them.”
Bellinger reached the major leagues with the Dodgers at 21 and was the Rookie of the Year. Two years later, in 2019, he swatted 47 home runs and was the NL MVP.
But a freak accident on the team’s World Series run in 2020 altered the trajectory of his career. Celebrating a go-ahead home run in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series by bashing forearms with Kike Hernandez, Bellinger dislocated his right shoulder. He underwent surgery that winter.
The season that followed was the worst of his career. Hampered by a weakened shoulder and sidelined by a broken leg, Bellinger batted a career-worst .165.
Bellinger was better in 2022, but his .210 average and 19 home runs weren’t enough to convince the Dodgers to tender him a contract that would have earned him a raise from his $17 million salary in the arbitration process. At 27, he was a free agent.
Initially, being non-tendered stung. But Bellinger found his way again in his two seasons with the Cubs. Before last season, he was traded to the Yankees. He went on to have the kind of year that convinced him to opt out of his contract and test the market.
“I’m grateful for all of it,” he said. “I’ve made some tremendous friends in this from the three teams, relationships that I’ll have forever, and each place has taught me different things.”
He’s the same Cody Bellinger he was when he played for the Dodgers — same easygoing personality, same relaxed smile.
But he’s also now a husband and a father to two girls.
The perspective he’s gained over the years has made him view his time with the Dodgers in the most positive of lights.
Making sense of his ups and downs in Los Angeles has also brought him peace.
Reflecting on his best seasons with the Dodgers, he said, “I really feel that I just kind of out-athleticized the game.”
Once he couldn’t do that, he was lost.
Bellinger said he was forced to learn who he was as a baseball player.
“When I’m good, I’m able to realize why I’m good, and then when I’ve struggled, I’ve been able to figure out why I’m bad,” he said.
He said he’s learned to better incorporate analytics into his work. That was something the Dodgers encouraged, Bellinger said, “But I think I was a little clustered in the brain there for a minute.”
He continued, “I think there’s so much data now that you’re able to back up what you want to feel, which is a good thing. I think now I’m able to comprehend the data as opposed to not really understanding it.”
Bellinger went into the Yankees’ doubleheader against the Dodgers on Sunday batting .254 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs. He said he enjoyed reuniting with some old friends over the weekend.
“I believe everything happens for a reason,” he said. “Whatever that reason, I’m here for a reason, and it’s all good.”
