Rumors: SF Giants among 11 teams interested in former Dodgers star Cody Bellinger

The SF Giants, Astros, and Cubs are among 11 teams interested in free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, per a report by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The SF Giants are in the middle of a competitive pursuit of free-agent outfielder Aaron Judge, but the front office is making sure to have some backup plans if Judge ultimately signs elsewhere. According to a report by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, longtime Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger is one of the players that Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi is eyeing.

Can the SF Giants help Cody Bellinger return to his previous form? / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

"Cody Bellinger has interest from 11 teams following the Dodgers’ decision to nontender him (he was expected to get $19 million in arbitration)," Heyman wrote. "The Astros, Cubs and Giants are among the teams in play." Bellinger is not the only non-Judge outfielder the Giants have been tied to. It was reported that San Francisco had expressed interest in longtime Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger earlier this week.

It's worth mentioning that Jon Heyman has a notoriously friendly relationship with agent Scott Boras, who represents Bellinger. Heyman is almost always the first to report where Boras clients sign because of that relationship. However, that has raised questions about whether Heyman is a trustworthy source on rumors tied to Boras clients. Boras has an obvious incentive to tie his clients to as many teams as possible even if that organization is not trying to sign his client. With that caveat in mind, it's not inconceivable that the Giants would view Bellinger as an excellent buy-low candidate.

Bellinger was one of the best players in MLB from 2017-2019. The Arizona native was considered one of the best prospects in professional baseball during his time in the minors, and he quickly tapped into his potential in the big leagues. As a rookie, Bellinger hit 39 home runs, finished ninth in MVP voting, was selected to the All-Star team, and won Rookie of the Year.

After a solid, but less exceptional sophomore season, Bellinger had an exceptional 2019 campaign. Hitting .305/.406/.629 with 47 home runs and 15 stolen bases, Bellinger was selected to another All-Star team and won the 2019 NL MVP alongside several other awards. Still just 24-years old, it seemed like Bellinger was just beginning a potential Hall of Fame career.

However, an accumulation of serious injuries to his hip, shoulder, and knee have taken their toll on Bellinger over the past few seasons. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Bellinger posted a more pedestrian .239/.333/.455 triple-slash. Still, most expected Bellinger to return to MVP form.

Instead, Bellinger collapsed in 2021, hitting .165/.240/.302 in 350 plate appearances. Bellinger's elite power seemingly disappeared overnight as the young outfielder struggled to keep up with big-league fastballs all season long.

In 2022, Bellinger improved against fastballs (hitting .248 with a .477 slugging percentage), but was still far away from his previous peak form. Moreover, pitchers adjusted by throwing more breaking balls and offspeed pitches, which Bellinger continued struggling to square up. Overall, he finished the season with a well below-average .210/.265/.389 triple-slash. Since Bellinger was set to make nearly $20 million in free agency, the Dodgers decided to non-tender the 27-year-old and make him a free agent.

According to Heyman's report, "Bellinger will seek a one-year deal to reset his value." The Giants have consistently been willing to bet on bounce back candidates like Bellinger throughout Zaidi's tenure. Moreover, Zaidi and Giants manager Gabe Kapler should have more familiarity with Bellinger than most other teams since they were in the Giants organization early in his career.

While Bellinger's bat will determine where his career goes from here, one thing that will make it easier for teams to gamble on his upside is his defensive prowess. Expected to be a corner outfielder or first baseman as a prospect, Bellinger has developed into one of the best defensive center fielders in MLB. In fact, he has received positive grades in center field, per Outs Above Average in each of the past five seasons. He is also an excellent defender in right and left field.

The SF Giants may not need to sign a reclamation project in the outfield if they sign Aaron Judge to a massive contract. But if they end up going in a different direction, the organization's familiarity with Cody Bellinger alongside his elite defense could make him an intriguing fallback option.