With Major League Baseball currently in a lockout, deals are at a standstill. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a one-year, $17 million deal with Cody Bellinger just before December 1st, which helped them avoid arbitration.

Via Jeff Passan:

Bellinger is coming off the worst season of his carer, however, hitting a dismal .165 with just 10 homers in 95 games. The 2019 NL MVP really struggled at the plate, but he did produce a lot more in the postseason, slashing .393 as the Dodgers were knocked out in the NLDS by eventual World Series champions, the Atlanta Braves.

This is actually the third time that Bellinger has gone through arbitration. After he won MVP in 19′, he was paid $11.5 million in his first eligible year. Although the slugger didn't live up to expectations in 2021, the Dodgers clearly have the belief that he can find his brilliance again, evident by this hefty one-year deal. Injuries did take their toll on Bellinger, spending time on the IR with hamstring, rib, and lower leg problems. If he can stay healthy in 2022, there's little doubt that Bellinger will be the Dodgers' everyday center fielder.

They will also be hoping another MVP-like season will be in the cards. After all, Bellinger is still just 26-years-old. He becomes a free agent after the 2023 campaign.