Cody Bellinger Nearly Went Back to the Dodgers. Here’s What Stopped Him.

Cody Bellinger is having another strong season with the New York Yankees. He’s an All-Star again. He just won the MVP of the All-Star Game. But there’s a version of events where he’s wearing Dodger blue right now instead of pinstripes.

According to Dylan Hernandez of the New York Post, Bellinger came close to re-signing with Los Angeles after his 2025 season in New York. He hit free agency again, and the Dodgers were in the mix.

“There was definitely a possibility,” Bellinger said. “There was some dialogue there, for sure.”

The Dodgers drafted Bellinger in the fourth round back in 2013. He debuted in 2017 and quickly became a star. Two All-Star nods. The 2019 NL MVP. A Gold Glove. A Silver Slugger. A World Series ring in 2020. That’s a lot of history with one franchise.

Then came 2023. He signed a one-year deal with the Cubs and won NL Comeback Player of the Year. Before the 2025 season, the Cubs traded him to the Yankees. And after that season, he had to decide where he wanted to be next.

Bellinger’s priority was simple. He wanted another shot at a championship.

“Ultimately, for me, I just want to get back to the World Series,” he said. “You can’t control what happens in the National League, but, for me, I can control how we get there. That’s my goal.”

Family ties and a freak injury

There’s a family connection here that’s hard to ignore. Bellinger’s dad, Clay, won two World Series with the Yankees in 1999 and 2000. Cody grew up around that. Winning a ring in the same uniform his father wore is clearly meaningful to him.

But he still has real affection for the Dodgers.

“I’m grateful for all of it,” he said. “I’ve made some tremendous friends from the three teams, relationships that I’ll have forever, and each place has taught me different things.”

A weird injury during the Dodgers’ 2020 playoff run changed things for him. He’s never been the same hitter since, at least not consistently. But he doesn’t sound bitter about how things shook out.

“I believe everything happens for a reason,” Bellinger said. “Whatever that reason, I’m here for a reason, and it’s all good.”

The Yankees are currently 54-43, sitting second in the AL East. As of this writing, they’re in the middle of a doubleheader against the Dodgers. Bellinger is 0-for-2 in the first game, and New York is down 3-1 in the sixth. It’s not the storybook reunion, but for Bellinger, he’s where he wants to be.