The MVP we knew began to raise his head proudly.
Cody Bellinger, who made his new home with the Chicago Cubs after suffering a shocking non-tender action from the Los Angeles Dodgers last winter, is quickly getting back on track in search of hitting feeling in 2019, when he was named MVP.
Bellinger was released as a non-tender by the Dodgers in November last year. The Dodgers actually released Bellinger, saying that the ransom value approaching 20 million dollars was not worth it after he could not get out of the slump for more than two years. It was a shock to Bellinger, who had risen to the top spot with the Dodgers winning Rookie of the Year and MVP.
However, he was quite popular in the free agent market. Bellinger eventually signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs for up to $25 million for a ‘1 + 1’ year and prepared a place to consult with himself. Even though several clubs offered multi-year contracts, Bellinger’s insistence on a one-year contract was an expression of his will to sign a large free agent contract this winter after properly restoring his reputation this season.
Of course, this is the advice and strategy of agent Scott Boras. Bellinger was expected to win a contract worth more than $400 million if he became a free agent when he was named MVP in 2019.
In the home game against the Dodgers held at Wrigley Field on the 24th (Korean time), Bellinger started as center fielder 3 times and recorded 2 hits, 1 RBI and 1 run in 4 at-bats, continuing his good condition.
Bellinger, who had his 6th multi-hit this season, had a batting average of 0.300 (24 hits in 80 at-bats), 5 homers, 15 RBIs, 18 runs scored, and an OPS of 0.930. He ranked 18th in the National League in batting average, tied for 8th in home runs, tied for 13th in RBI, tied for 5th in runs scored, and ranked 13th in OPS. Now, it is safe to say that he is the center hitter of the Cubs.
At the beginning of the season, it was the first year of transfer, so it was difficult to adapt, but the bat gained momentum in the last two weeks. In his last 14 games, he has a batting average of .358 (19-for-53), four home runs, and nine RBIs.
Coincidentally, he showed ‘good times먹튀검증‘ against his former team, the Dodgers. The Cubs finished all seven games against the Dodgers that were scheduled for this year after this game. It is unusual for the team to have already played against a team in the same league before spending a month in the season. Anyway, Bellinger played in all 7 games against the Dodgers and hit 0.333 (8 hits in 24 at-bats) with 3 homers, 4 RBIs, 7 runs, 4 walks and an OPS of 1.300. He properly announced the resurrection against his own team.
During the three-game series at Dodger Stadium on the 15th and 17th, the defense caught a home run ball and also hit a home run, receiving applause from Dodgers fans.
It’s not the Bellinger I’ve seen in the past two years. Bellinger was 60th in batting average among 63 National League hitters who filled the required number of at bats last year. His 19 homers were tied for 35th and his 68 RBIs were tied for 37th. His OPS of 0.654 was only 59th.
When he won the National League MVP in 2019, he marked a batting average of .305, 47 home runs, 115 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.035. After three full-time seasons, he became a hitter who conquered the major leagues. However, in the shortened season in 2020, the batting average went down to 0.239, and in 2021, he was on the injured list three times and had to spend the worst season with a batting average of 0.165 in 95 games.
Bellinger fell into hell at one point like this because he injured his shoulder during a home run ceremony in the final game 7 of the 2020 National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves. At the time, Bellinger led the team to the World Series with a superior solo home run from opposing pitcher Chris Martin in the bottom of the 7th inning when the score was tied 3-3, but eventually underwent shoulder surgery after the season, and the aftermath continued for a long time.
This year, Bellinger’s chance to stand at bat again against the Dodgers is fall baseball. Both teams should advance to the postseason.