After a hot start to his career, Cody Bellinger has slumped the last few seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With few options in free agency, the Chicago Cubs decided to try their luck on the former MVP, which has paid off. Here is how the left-hander from Arizona has turned things around.
Cody Bellinger Rebound Breakdown
Hitting
In his 2019 MVP year, Bellinger hit .305/.406/.629. In the three next seasons with the Dodgers, he hit .239/.333/.455 in 2020, .165/.240/.302 in 2021 (where he missed significant time with an injury), and .210/.265/.389 last season. After 36 games with the Cubs this season, Cody Bellinger is hitting .270/.338/ .496. These numbers are similar to his 2017 season, where he was National League Rookie of the Year. However, the real change to Bellinger’s game is his power. In his last 239 games with the Dodgers, Bellinger hit only 29 home runs. In 36 games with the Cubs, he is already at 7, which is remarkable considering Wrigley is more of a pitcher’s park than Dodger Stadium. Although, the universal test of a hitter has been OPS+. Where a score of 100 is an average Major League Hitter. For his career, Cody Bellinger has an OPS+ of 118. In the last two seasons with Los Angeles, he recorded OPS+ of 44 and 79. In the Windy City, his OPS+ is listed at 126, showing that he has improved significantly since coming to the North Side.
Defense
On the other side of the ball, the Chicago Cubs saw Cody Bellinger as someone who could help improve them defensively. According to Baseball Savant, in 2022, the Chicago Cubs had the worst defensive metrics for centerfielders across baseball. Defensively, the Cubs were last in Outs Above Average (OAA) and lost outs in every direction the fielder moved. They were the worst in Fielding Percentage at that position as well. As of May 13, the Chicago Cubs are currently the sixth-best team at centerfield in OAA with three (an improvement of 10 runs from last year). Additionally, the fielding percentage in that position is up from last place to second. With Bellinger starting nearly ninety percent of those games, he is a big part.
What’s worth noting is that the benefits have been twofold. Cody Bellinger has changed his approach at centerfield, which has benefitted him as a fielder. From Baseball Savant, it appears that Bellinger is starting at centerfield 10 feet behind from last season. It’s the furthest back he has stood in his seven-year career, even two feet further back than his rookie year (where he started 323ft away from home plate). Additionally, this shift has increased Cody’s catch percentage from 91% in 2022 to 96% in 2023. Another positive has seen an uptick in his throws from 86 miles per hour to 89 mph this season.
Change of Scenery Was Needed
It’s no secret that Bellinger is a good player. After two not-so-great seasons, 2023 is a year where he gets back on track. As the Cubs have been better than expected to start the season, part of that relies on the acquisition of Cody Bellinger. The move from Los Angeles to Chicago has rejuvenated his career. The Cubs are confident in him, and he is more confident in himself as a player. As someone who spent most of 2022 hitting seventh in the lineup, the Cubs have him batting fourth. Although he is still twenty-seven, it feels like he has been in the spotlight for a long time. Bellinger’s improvements this season could see him earn his third all-star game appearance, a Gold Glove, or NL Comeback Player of the Year. Fans should pay attention because he is far from finished yet.
Photo Credit: © Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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