Sources told ESPN that the Dodgers and Bellinger agreed on a one-year, $17 million deal to avoid an expensive and lengthy dispute.
The deal was not announced after the work was stopped, as teams are not referring to players by name during the work stop that has lasted more than three weeks.
Bellinger had his worst season of his career last year, hitting.235 with 10 home runs in 95 games. He won the National League's Most Valuable Player award after hitting.305/.408/.629 with 47 home runs in the regular season.
Bellinger will make $900,000 more than he did in 2020 because of the increase in the salary of the arbitrator. Bellinger would have been a free agent if the Dodgers had not paid him $17 million or non-tendered him.
Bellinger's third time through the process, the deal is not guaranteed until he makes the Dodgers' opening day roster. Bellinger set a record salary for a first-time-eligible player. He is going to be free agency in the fall of 2020.
Bellinger won the NL Freshman of the Year after hitting 39 home runs in his first season. He showed his full potential in the second half of the season, playing a well-above-average right field and spending time in center, where he played most as a first baseman.
When Bellinger was healthy, he was the Dodgers' everyday center fielder, and he patrolled it well. Los Angeles believes he will return to form after his bat never caught up.
