Dodgers rumors: Gold Glove winner could replace Cody Bellinger

Los Angeles Dodgers rumors about a possible Cody Bellinger replacement have already emerged with the team targeting a three-time Gold Glove winner.

Leading up to the non-tender deadline, the majority of Los Angeles Dodgers rumors were focused on the future of center fielder Cody Bellinger. As FanSided’s Robert Murray reported, the team plans to non-tender him.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, there are already some early Dodgers rumors about who could replace him in the field. Three-time Gold Glove winner Kevin Kiermaier has caught their attention and could be going to Hollywood.

Kiermaier became a free agent earlier this month when the Tampa Bay Rays chose to not pick up his option for 2023. He has a reputation for playing great defense but also for missing a lot of time. Will these rumors prove true and will the Dodgers replace Bellinger, a former MVP, with Kiermaier?

Dodgers rumors: Kevin Kiermaier is an early candidate to replace Cody Bellinger

Bellinger only became a roster casualty for the Dodgers because of his poor offensive performance. Going from him to Kiermaier won’t do much to improve their lineup. He’s a lifetime .248/.308/.407 hitter. Bellinger, who is about 6 years younger, departs with lifetime numbers that include a .248/.332/.487 slash line.

It’s what Bellinger has done over the last two years that cast him out of Los Angeles. After capturing the 2019 National League MVP, he took a step back in 2020. The shortened campaign had a built-in excuse for many players. Unfortunately, he has been even worse the last two years. Bellinger gave the Dodgers a .193/.256/.355 performance in his last 900 plate appearances. This comes combined in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

These Dodgers rumors may be laughable given the upside Bellinger still has and the known decline Kiermaier seems to be on. Kiermaier is a center field replacement. He’s far from an upgrade.

As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic points out, this might not be the end of Bellinger’s time with the Dodgers. His projected arbitration number would have been around $18 million. Re-signing with the ball club as a free agent could still happen.

Even then, we should expect Kiermaier to be a much more affordable outfielder for the Dodgers. They could simply view Bellinger as someone who needs a change of scenery. They know him better than anyone.