Cody Bellinger signed a 1-year contract with the Chicago Cubs this off-season, essentially a deal for him to prove he is still an MVP caliber player. Former Cubs outfielder and World Series champion Dexter Fowler believes Bellinger will return to an MVP pedigree this season, per Marquee Sports Network.
Bellinger was an NL MVP in the 2019 season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a year where he slashed .305/.406/.629 while hitting 47 home runs and driving in 115 RBIs. Ever since then, Bellinger has struggled mightily at the plate.
In 2021, he hit an abysmal .165 batting average for the Dodgers, and last season he finished with a slash line of .210/.265/.389, his last campaign in Dodger blue. Ever since his 47 home run year, he has combined to hit 41 home runs over the last three seasons.
A combination of pitchers attacking his weaknesses and injuries are the primary reasons for Bellinger's fall from grace. He fractured his fibula before the 2021 season that limited him to just 95 games that year.
Coming to Chicago, Bellinger hopes Wrigley Field will be the change of scenery he needs. Like Fowler, many believe that MVP player is still within him, especially because his 2019 season was not a fluke.
In 2018, Bellinger hit 25 home runs, and 39 the season before that. Although his slash was much higher all around in his MVP year, he still hit for a respectable .267 in 2017 and .260 in 2018. He showed the makings of an elite power hitter in the early stages of his career.
Now, Bellinger enters probably his most important individual season, determined to become the player he once was. For Cubs fans, it would be a welcome sight to see some Cody Bellinger Bombs onto Sheffield and Waveland.
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