Report: Dodgers, Cody Bellinger Agreed to One-Year Deal Before Lockout

Bellinger struggled last season, but it wasn't that long ago he won the NL MVP award.

The Dodgers and former National League MVP Cody Bellinger agreed to a one-year contract worth $17 million before the beginning of MLB's lockout, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Bellinger, 26, was the NL MVP in 2019. He struggled last season, batting .165 with 10 home runs in 95 games. He also missed time due to a hairline fracture in his left leg, a rib fracture and a hamstring strain.

This past season marked the worst year of his career, and it came after undergoing shoulder surgery in November 2020. In the postseason, however, Bellinger excelled, batting .353 for Los Angeles, who lost in the NLCS.

Per ESPN, the deal is not guaranteed until Bellinger makes the team's Opening Day roster. He is set to reach free agency after the 2023 season. 

MLB and the MLBPA could not reach a new collecting bargaining agreement before Dec. 2, leading to the sport's first work stoppage in 26 years.

There are a number of issues for MLB and the union to sort through before reaching a new collective bargaining agreement. There is a divide on how baseball's arbitration system should work, and there are disagreements over rule changes such as expanded playoffs and the addition of the designated hitter to the National League.

In mid-December, Sports Illustrated's Stephanie Apstein reported that the two parties had not met since the collective bargaining agreement expired.